tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756180660110014752017-12-13T17:55:19.433-08:00A Free Spirit's Bucket ListPurpose is the reason for your journey. Passion is the fire that lights the way. Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-17892221619676541822017-12-12T15:50:00.000-08:002017-12-12T16:51:36.016-08:00#81 Christmas In NYCIt's the most wonderful time of the year! That's right! In case you didn't realize it back in September, it's the Christmas season. And, one of the most unforgettable places to experience the Christmas season is in none other than Gotham itself, NYC. From the prodigious, gorgeously lit evergreen glowing brightly in Rockefeller Center to the festive, colorful, yuletide storefront displays of Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord &amp; Taylor just to name a few, the holiday spirit emanates brightly from the city that never sleeps. Deep with tradition from the days of yore, the magic of Christmas is noting short of infectious in the Big Apple. The splendor is simply breathtaking.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybpzhmfHoNE/WiwyY2p0nKI/AAAAAAAAFxM/c9NnHMAoKPItwSUml073soF9cwhsBz7fwCLcBGAs/s1600/ny4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rockefeller Center Tree" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybpzhmfHoNE/WiwyY2p0nKI/AAAAAAAAFxM/c9NnHMAoKPItwSUml073soF9cwhsBz7fwCLcBGAs/s640/ny4.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The tree at Rockefeller Center</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I personally have visited the city many times during the holidays so I am going to include some tips and advice in this blog that may help first timers planning a visit to NYC for the holidays.<br /><br />For starters, the city can be very, very hectic around the holidays. As much as I highly recommend seeing the city during the holidays, if at all possible, try to avoid Friday, Saturday or Sunday. NYC can be completely insane and extremely crowded on those days. If it is your first visit to the city entirely, the holiday season could definitely be a little overwhelming. If you have no other choice but to visit over the weekend, you are still going to be witness to some of the largest, most beautiful displays of Christmas spirit in the world, however, the city just may try your patience a little.<br /><br />My first venture into NYC for the holidays was back in 1989. My high school drama club was taking a bus trip into the city to see The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. This was also my very first venture into New York City altogether. On this day back in December of 1989, my romance with the Big Apple ignited. And unlike other romances I have experienced in my life, my enduring romance with this city has never been a one sided romance. I always take away so much more from one of my dates with the city then I could ever give back. My dates with the city leave me feeling fulfilled, elated and utterly exhausted. I even walk funny the day after one of my dates with the city. That is the way all dates should end in my opinion.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFIz_dQhmMc/UoLxegxnHpI/AAAAAAAACQA/YLk_K1wVyd4/s1600/DSCF1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Christmas in New York Radio City" border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFIz_dQhmMc/UoLxegxnHpI/AAAAAAAACQA/YLk_K1wVyd4/s400/DSCF1275.JPG" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Radio City Music Hall</b></div></td></tr></tbody></table>The Christmas Spectacular is quite honestly, the quintessential holiday show. I remember walking into the historic and grand theater that is Radio City Music Hall and thinking to myself, so many famous people have walked through these same gilded doors. I was genuinely feeling star struck and I hadn't even witnessed any real live stars. I realized I was starstruck with the dazzling and substantial theater itself. In fact, I was star struck by the entire city.<br /><br />Anyway, our club made our way to our seats, eagerly anticipating our first taste of New York theater. When that famous red curtain rose from the wooden stage floor, the Rockettes appeared, wowing us with their perfectly synchronized and gracefully choreographed dance moves. They were beautiful to witness. The Dance of the Wooden Soldiers, their signature Christmas Spectacular dance, was so entertaining.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gBamM7ajw2Y/UoLyD1PdxhI/AAAAAAAACQI/TRRpiIdBeJE/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Christmas in New York The Rockettes" border="0" height="246" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gBamM7ajw2Y/UoLyD1PdxhI/AAAAAAAACQI/TRRpiIdBeJE/s400/image.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Famous Rockettes</b></div><div><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table>My favorite act of the show was the Living Nativity. Most of us in the group had never been to the show before so many of us were surprised to see live animals on the stage. In fact, most of us had to do a double take. I remember sitting next to my friend Dina and saying "Wow, those goats are so life like."<br /><br />She started laughing at me. Then I said, "Oh my god, I think that camel is alive!!" I was peering down at the stage intently, completely enthralled. I turned to her and exclaimed, "That camel IS alive!! So is the llama!" LOL! You would have thought I had discovered electricity or fire or sliced bread or something.<br /><br />I don't know. I guess I was expecting there to be mechanical animals or wooden animals or something. Obviously I didn't get a clue as to what "Living Nativity" really entailed from the playbill. I believed they just meant the people were alive. I mean think about it, most nativities are comprised of statues or figurines. I may have also had a little trouble believing there were camels roaming around NYC. They are a desert animal not a big city animal. It was just hard for me to fathom.<br /><br />Of course after my brilliant observation my next question was, "Where do they put all the animals after the show? Do they live here? Who feeds them?" No one could answer those questions for me. That is probably because none of my classmates worked for Radio City.<br /><br />I will never forget my first trip to the city. It was everything I expected and more. But there was so much more to discover so, let's move on to some of my other trips to the NYC at the holidays.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jcDXHCUqCnA/Wiy4j6CbjOI/AAAAAAAAFyc/ORPqORMf0PAg1pgaddb-MzVvAdqWSWmmQCLcBGAs/s1600/ny2%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Swarovski Crystal Star" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jcDXHCUqCnA/Wiy4j6CbjOI/AAAAAAAAFyc/ORPqORMf0PAg1pgaddb-MzVvAdqWSWmmQCLcBGAs/s400/ny2%2B%25282%2529.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Swarovski crystal star. This was a former tree topper.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>If you are limited on time or are only going to be in the city for the day, Midtown is the place you want to be. It is probably the most popular area in Manhattan for experiencing Christmas in NYC. Rockefeller Center on the Avenue of the Americas is Christmas central. Everything is bright, beautiful and bustling! Harmonious carolers' voices carry through the air while the many Salvation Army Bells provide an almost melodic background to their singing.<br /><br />The grandest of all Christmas trees, the Rockefeller Christmas tree, watches peacefully over the famous ice skating rink below. Skaters bundled in scarves and mittens and tassel top hats glide much more gracefully than I ever would atop the pristine glassy surface. A massive, glistening Swarovski crystal star sparkles on display in the plaza. No, it's not the North Star. It is a former tree topper from Rockefeller trees of the past. But, it's beauty could rival that of any star in the sky.<br /><br />Booming, melodic bells from St. Patrick's Cathedral ring through 5th Avenue sounding the hour as visitors climb the grey stone steps to take a peek inside the stunningly Gothic church. The smell of roasted chestnuts and peanuts emanates the air as shoppers perch along fountains and statues to enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate in between visiting stores. Santa can be found on many a street, in his big red suit taking pictures with children.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jnVJAPSTrWc/Wiy5f0gy_ZI/AAAAAAAAFyk/E7ZJTWB_nFwctLExIUe7SUWXMs9CTS6iQCLcBGAs/s1600/ny26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rockefeller Center" border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="600" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jnVJAPSTrWc/Wiy5f0gy_ZI/AAAAAAAAFyk/E7ZJTWB_nFwctLExIUe7SUWXMs9CTS6iQCLcBGAs/s400/ny26.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rockefeller Center</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Every business, store and plaza has colorful and sometimes very large Christmas decor begging to be admired. In fact, one of the coolest and most traditional aspects of Christmas in NYC is the elaborate holiday displays each store creates for their windows. It is almost like a competition to see which store can conjure up the most beautiful and unique display of holiday spirit. So many stores create their own holiday storybook from within their windows and each and every one is nothing short of amazing.<br /><br />Obviously great detail, much time and a lot of TLC go into these one of a kind windows. I have witnessed storefronts telling stories of snowflake fairies, snowman journeys, Christmas dragons,Victorian Christmases, and stories of Christmases from before I was born. You can literally spend hours upon hours just walking around the city admiring the holiday art unique to each store. You may find yourself smiling like a child waking up on Christmas morning, wishing you could go back in time. It's that magical and it doesn't cost a dime.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5r4I0Ba2mZU/WiyYy87lVFI/AAAAAAAAFxs/mKByVxXrdr0QuhqMybQDWWr-RuQ6AmWTwCLcBGAs/s1600/ny12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Macy's" border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5r4I0Ba2mZU/WiyYy87lVFI/AAAAAAAAFxs/mKByVxXrdr0QuhqMybQDWWr-RuQ6AmWTwCLcBGAs/s400/ny12.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Macy's</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iZrMqCU9F-I/WiyZCdoHGKI/AAAAAAAAFxw/OCggbHpNtawD2Snb3kbOnfsFI3cN8D05QCLcBGAs/s1600/ny13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Saks" border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iZrMqCU9F-I/WiyZCdoHGKI/AAAAAAAAFxw/OCggbHpNtawD2Snb3kbOnfsFI3cN8D05QCLcBGAs/s400/ny13.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sak's 5th Avenue</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cX09X9r8aQM/WiyZOzJMtEI/AAAAAAAAFx0/CkxRoH18bdUxmJYzar4AVbqssOvT0FlkwCLcBGAs/s1600/ny14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Saks" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cX09X9r8aQM/WiyZOzJMtEI/AAAAAAAAFx0/CkxRoH18bdUxmJYzar4AVbqssOvT0FlkwCLcBGAs/s400/ny14.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sak's 5th Avenue</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-se7JF3xRoUM/WiyZbCbHu4I/AAAAAAAAFx8/aW2g8LIk6B8TK6GQz0XSi7XyPd__zfvqwCLcBGAs/s1600/ny23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Macy's" border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-se7JF3xRoUM/WiyZbCbHu4I/AAAAAAAAFx8/aW2g8LIk6B8TK6GQz0XSi7XyPd__zfvqwCLcBGAs/s400/ny23.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Macy's</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-esjgUJpQi6Y/WiyZtbhuhGI/AAAAAAAAFyA/OvsjBl0e-3U3-fHYq7ZzhYKWAMKpbI1pgCLcBGAs/s1600/ny22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="macy's" border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-esjgUJpQi6Y/WiyZtbhuhGI/AAAAAAAAFyA/OvsjBl0e-3U3-fHYq7ZzhYKWAMKpbI1pgCLcBGAs/s400/ny22.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Macy's</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KCeWM4EBuok/WiybXS_X6ZI/AAAAAAAAFyM/BNryxhxyyKc27megxvoNrnEPMOh4ToquQCLcBGAs/s1600/ny25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lord and Taylor" border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1557" height="293" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KCeWM4EBuok/WiybXS_X6ZI/AAAAAAAAFyM/BNryxhxyyKc27megxvoNrnEPMOh4ToquQCLcBGAs/s400/ny25.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lord &amp; Taylor</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Now let's talk shopping. One of the many fun things to do in New York City during the holidays is shop for gifts. But, before you go spending a large sum of money in Midtown stores, look around you. There are so many street fairs, flea markets, and artisan tents set up all over the city. The vendors sell beautiful and unique wares at a fraction of what you would pay in the store. Jewelry, hats, gloves, silk scarves, shirts, sporting items, pictures and so many other items are featured in these places.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZugoKr8mlwc/Wiy6Cmc3vHI/AAAAAAAAFys/QAHb_ma_8-Ud_lw-RsiYBEmHck-kpcm_gCLcBGAs/s1600/ny3%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rockefeller Plaza" border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="719" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZugoKr8mlwc/Wiy6Cmc3vHI/AAAAAAAAFys/QAHb_ma_8-Ud_lw-RsiYBEmHck-kpcm_gCLcBGAs/s320/ny3%2B%25282%2529.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rockefeller Plaza</b></td></tr></tbody></table>The Christmas tents in Bryant Park are great to explore for unique and fun Christmas gifts. I bought my daughter a beautiful handmade necklace, a book and some clothing for her birthday. My total was less that $40.00. Score! There is also a skating rink (they are all over the city) and another huge brightly lit tree to admire near Bryant Park. Christmas is all over the city.<br /><br />If you walk further down the island to Soho and the Village, there are some shops and boutiques selling the latest fashions for dirt cheap. In Chinatown you can do some real damage. Seriously. The shop owners may be a little persistent or up your ass ( I just ignore them or yell at them. ) but they will bargain with you on just about anything. And the food gifts, bakeries, wine shops and produce stands in both Chinatown&nbsp;and Little Italy&nbsp;all have fresh, delicious goods for less than what I pay locally.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, there are lots of shops that will make you gasp at the price tag and tip toe out of the store with your head down and tail between your legs but don't be afraid to look around and explore. There are plenty of deals to be had. You can get some really cool Christmas gifts for much less than you would pay anywhere else.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad5KCjf0Jj0/Wiw7rKNrASI/AAAAAAAAFxg/O5oIJ_Lzk5kwLSRWIRWttSLFr-7Ka1-DACEwYBhgL/s1600/ny11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bryant Park" border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="640" height="444" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad5KCjf0Jj0/Wiw7rKNrASI/AAAAAAAAFxg/O5oIJ_Lzk5kwLSRWIRWttSLFr-7Ka1-DACEwYBhgL/s640/ny11.jpg" title="Christmas in New York" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bryant Park</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This is just a taste of what Christmas is like in NYC. You really need to experience it for yourself to truly understand the magic and spirit of the holidays in the city that never sleeps. And I hope you do.<br /><br />I am going to close my blog with this, which ties into the traditional aspect of Christmas in NYC. It is inspired from looking at my pictures while writing about my Christmas ventures in the city. The Holidays invoke many emotions in us, some not always good. The holidays can make loneliness even more amplified. So, if you notice someone genuinely down during the holidays, rather than point out that everyone should be happy because it's holidays (one of the worst statements to ever be uttered.), why not show them instead. Be a secret Santa. Do something nice for them even if it is giving them some cookies, inviting them to a gathering or paying them a compliment. It can make all the difference.<br /><br />The holidays also invoke a lot of sadness of days gone by and loved ones no longer with us. It is okay to be sad. It is okay to miss someone so much it hurts. Do talk about them and share&nbsp; their stories. Do fondly recall the memories and be so thankful that you had the opportunity to make such treasured memories with them. We call it Christmas spirit for a reason. Celebrate their spirit. In my family, we honor our dearly departed with tradition. I still hang my grandmother's Christmas decorations in my house to this day. I still cry sometimes. So much love I feel for my grandparents. Their impressions upon me will be forever a part of my character just like mine are with my children.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bKL45Mz30c/WizAkigYFgI/AAAAAAAAFy8/LoKY4HP_cOodZrBsz0XEQhySVivy_5VdgCLcBGAs/s1600/12366334_10206945280143941_7274679241214795215_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gingerbread Man" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bKL45Mz30c/WizAkigYFgI/AAAAAAAAFy8/LoKY4HP_cOodZrBsz0XEQhySVivy_5VdgCLcBGAs/s400/12366334_10206945280143941_7274679241214795215_n.jpg" title="Gingerbread Man" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tis the season to smile</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Finally, the holidays also bring on a lot of stress. I have gradually dialed it back in my family. We have learned to celebrate a more traditional, less commercialized Christmas. There are no longer piles of presents under my tree. We now focus on the things we want or need the most. My kids actually appreciate this more and are happier. They are actually more excited about the goofy little things I put in their stockings.<br /><br />We focus on everything about the holidays, not just the presents. Presents are only a small part of the holiday experience.We enjoy the food, the decor, the music and shows, spending time with family and friends, practicing traditions, and trying new things. This ties directly into experiencing NYC during the holidays because the city is so steeped in tradition. If you look past all the flash and commercialism, you will notice a different city that lies beneath all the tinsel. And what the city offers in the form of traditional Christmas spirit, doesn't cost a thing but creates memories to last a lifetime.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vX6b1I04SnU/WizAxWPsbaI/AAAAAAAAFzA/DFzmlpXJizIK694j0wihMEtUW6VvdeQTgCLcBGAs/s1600/15740900_10210042977944450_6662849116583236908_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vX6b1I04SnU/WizAxWPsbaI/AAAAAAAAFzA/DFzmlpXJizIK694j0wihMEtUW6VvdeQTgCLcBGAs/s400/15740900_10210042977944450_6662849116583236908_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Tips and Ideas For Christmas in NYC</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You can literally spend the entire day in the city during the holidays and not spend any money other than to eat and ride the subway if need be.</b></div><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">1. Avoid the weekends if at all possible. It is very hectic and crowded Friday-Sunday.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d;">2. If you want to eat a great NYC meal do lunch. It is cheaper than dinner in the city. In some instances, significantly cheaper.&nbsp;<b>Note:</b>&nbsp;New York City restaurants are required to post their menu in their windows with the prices listed. This is so helpful as you will be able to see whether the restaurant is within your price range before waiting in line and being seated. Also, always ask for the price of any alcoholic beverages or soda refills. This is where the real expense could come into play. It is not cheap to drink alcohol in the city and a lot of places do not offer free refills on soft drinks.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">3. A cup of hot chocolate from one of Godiva's many chocolate stores is sure to keep you feeling warm and toasty. The price is the same as Starbucks but the flavor is heaven.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;">4. Take a stroll around Midtown, Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue and admire all the lights, store fronts and decor. It is free and so much fun to see.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">5. Walk or use the subway when possible. Cabs can be expensive if you get stuck in traffic.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;">6. Visit Central Park, especially if it is snowing. It is a beautiful park.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">7. Public bathrooms are not so easy to come by in the city. Even the corner Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts do not necessarily have bathrooms open to the public. It you notice a clean, public bathroom, use it. You may not come across another one any time soon.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;">8. If you plan on doing heavy shopping, remember, unless you are staying in the city, you are going to have to carry everything around with you all day. Try to do the brunt of your bigger purchases closer to your departure time. Sometimes that is not always possible, so having a tote bag or two makes life a little easier.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">9. As safe as NYC has become, be smart about your purse, wallet, phone and purchases. You should practice this anywhere really, not just in the city. Always keep track of them because while it is unusual for you to get mugged in high traffic areas, you can definitely be pickpocketed and not even notice.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;">10. Finally, wear comfortable shoes and clothing and dress for the weather. You are probably going to spend a large amount of time outdoors and walking. You don't want to worry about sore feet from high heels ( I learned this the hard way) or clothes that are too tight, too bulky or too high maintenance. You want to enjoy yourself, not be tugging, adjusting and aching the entire day.&nbsp;</span></div><div><br /></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-78870712700039672312017-12-08T16:59:00.003-08:002017-12-12T18:25:14.211-08:00#284 Dine At Serendipity 3<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LERSwgHp14E/WjCPdHjf7wI/AAAAAAAAFzQ/6yalLOlWQlsMQUFzH2L4shF8JlcwMmyBgCLcBGAs/s1600/215546_4014801861888_1592387637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="836" height="340" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LERSwgHp14E/WjCPdHjf7wI/AAAAAAAAFzQ/6yalLOlWQlsMQUFzH2L4shF8JlcwMmyBgCLcBGAs/s640/215546_4014801861888_1592387637_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Serendipity 3. There was always something so mythical and fantastical to me about Serendipity 3. It was like this whimsical, colorful unicorn that seemed completely out of reach for an average gal like myself. Could it even be possible for me to ever visit such a wonderful place? As teen I didn't think so. As a teen, everything outside of my little coal cracker Pennsylvania hometown seemed so much more larger than life and way beyond the realm of my reach.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, that was so far from the truth. I just did not know that then. I also did not know that I practiced Serendipity naturally. It was in my nature. So my fascination with Serendipity 3 was not at all coincidental, but totally designed. It all began like this. Growing up in the 80's, like any tween and teenager, I was huge into pop culture. I would spend my paper route and waitressing money to purchase fashion and beauty magazines. I would stalk the neighborhood newspaper shop Pence's on a daily basis, excitedly waiting for the latest issues of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Allure to hit the stands.<br /><br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0bxzaeKLa8/WisrjypCsPI/AAAAAAAAFvc/kobM606ei30H_AkYkuyPoPyCAfhi8Q66QCLcBGAs/s1600/serendipity3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Serendipity Quote" border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="631" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0bxzaeKLa8/WisrjypCsPI/AAAAAAAAFvc/kobM606ei30H_AkYkuyPoPyCAfhi8Q66QCLcBGAs/s400/serendipity3.png" title="Serendipity Quote" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I would also indulged in gossips rags as a teen. My after school job was not far from Merf's newsstand, so I would grab weekly copies of Star Magazine and the Globe. It was at these local newsstands where my romance for NY newspapers, specifically the NY Post, blossomed. Eventually I stopped buying the gossip mags altogether. The NY papers were so much better. Page Six baby!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was through all my reading and perusing of the lifestyles of the rich and famous in the New York papers that I discovered this Manhattan hot spot called Serendipity 3. Countless celebrities always seemed to be photographed dining there. Many other celebrities openly gushed in interviews about how much they adored Serendipity 3. Andy Warhol used to haunt the establishment back in his early days, before he became famous.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VgYxOnNzo4/WisvkS8rM8I/AAAAAAAAFwk/NEbEQ5zrvqM6L8HJvM7SJMNkQExWlTcGwCLcBGAs/s1600/79b5f623bab99363fae81227a8b2c500--serendipity-movie-quotes-romantic-movie-quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Serendipity Quote" border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VgYxOnNzo4/WisvkS8rM8I/AAAAAAAAFwk/NEbEQ5zrvqM6L8HJvM7SJMNkQExWlTcGwCLcBGAs/s320/79b5f623bab99363fae81227a8b2c500--serendipity-movie-quotes-romantic-movie-quotes.jpg" title="Serendipity Quote" width="267" /></a></div>It had to be a great place if the eclectic Mr. Warhol visited there. Naturally, my teenage self mentally added this place to what would eventually become my Bucket List. I just had to visit there. It seemed so happy and fun. Yet, as time wore on and many trips to NYC had passed, I had yet to step foot into the quirky little cafe owned by Stephen Bruce.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fast forward to 2008. My daughter was going to be turning 16 and I wanted to do something special for her Sweet 16. She loved art so I thought a visit to the MOMA would be a perfect idea. I mean who wouldn't want to turn 16 in the Big Apple? ( I spent my 40th in the Big Apple.) As I was thinking about the MOMA and all the wonderful works of art we would have the chance to gaze upon, I remembered Andy Warhol's soup cans were at the MOMA. How cool was that? So cool that is how cool it was!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And thinking about Mr. Warhol jarred something in my mind. I could not remember what it was though. It was there, in the back of my mind, but did not want to show itself. A few days later while cleaning the house with the TV playing in the background, a movie called Serendipity came on. I had always wanted to see it but never had so, I decided to take a break from cleaning to watch the movie.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gEwMeUZoZDg/WistNXv0TCI/AAAAAAAAFvs/jj_90VvZfAkOaWN7H0IMvIzZIgp8ykNwACLcBGAs/s1600/488273_4014801381876_175264953_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Serendipity 3" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gEwMeUZoZDg/WistNXv0TCI/AAAAAAAAFvs/jj_90VvZfAkOaWN7H0IMvIzZIgp8ykNwACLcBGAs/s400/488273_4014801381876_175264953_n.jpg" title="Serendipity 3" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I loved the little animal display. Serendipity 3 December 2008</b></td></tr></tbody></table>I fell in love with it immediately. I too believed in magic. I too believed in Serendipity. Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack were so perfect for each other. And......... that's it!!! That is the thing that was sitting in the back of my mind when I thought of Andy Warhol. You see, John and Kate's characters met at Serendipity 3. My long lost unicorn dream came back to life. I was going to take my daughter to the magical place for her Sweet 16! How perfect. How serendipitous!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And so after our visit to the MOMA, my daughter and I walked the Upper East Side to Serendipity 3. We actually walked right past it. LOL! I guess I was expecting this huge, fancy decorated building because I had to do a double take when I saw the simple storefront window of Serendipity 3. It was very cute, don't get me wrong, but it was not what I had envisioned for the exterior of the restaurant. Never judge a book by it's cover though.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjeRbJtTRKI/WisudSkatII/AAAAAAAAFwI/ikYCu_Ae_QURzX5-UBIXvxBDeJ0NuzsxwCLcBGAs/s1600/215546_4014801861888_1592387637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Serendipity 3" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjeRbJtTRKI/WisudSkatII/AAAAAAAAFwI/ikYCu_Ae_QURzX5-UBIXvxBDeJ0NuzsxwCLcBGAs/s640/215546_4014801861888_1592387637_n.jpg" title="Serendipity 3" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The stunning Christmas decor at Serendipity 3 circa December 2008</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We took our place in line outside the restaurant. Thankfully we arrived right after the lunch rush so we did not have to wait in line long. Once we entered the building, I was taken back to my childhood immediately. The quaint, shabby chic style of the tiny restaurant was so lovely. This was definitely a place unicorns would visit to enjoy some delicious ice cream and treats. It was a gorgeous. You could almost sense the whimsical history of Serendipity 3 within the very walls that encased the cafe.&nbsp;</div></div><div style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both levels of the restaurant were decorated with white, 50's style ice cream shop tables and chairs. The floors were white honeycomb tile just like the malt shops of the past. Gold, gilded mirrors and unique vintage signs graced the walls. Glass cases lining the wall near the entrance housed treasures from the past such as 50's, 60's and 70's toys, dishes, jewelry and a variety of other flea market kitsch.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5kuYPyzNWW4/WistjSLwnzI/AAAAAAAAFv0/ZiflCDVFn0QLS41f6dJPdbK9e9cdVDYtQCLcBGAs/s1600/312935_4014802501904_245274108_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5kuYPyzNWW4/WistjSLwnzI/AAAAAAAAFv0/ZiflCDVFn0QLS41f6dJPdbK9e9cdVDYtQCLcBGAs/s320/312935_4014802501904_245274108_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My birthday girl!!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>All the merchandise was for sale. Memories of my childhood washed over me while gazing upon all the vintage trinkets in that case. I noticed there was a lot of pink going on in this unicorn palace. It was so pretty. Serendipity 3's holiday decorations are to this day, some of my most favorite ever.<br /><br />Enormous pink ice cream cones constructed of glass ornaments hung in the windows, flanking either side of an enormous gold mirror. The mirror was shrouded in a stunning garland of huge pastel glass balls and gold lights. It was breathtaking. I couldn't stop staring at it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Tiffany stained glass lampshades dotting the white and gold trimmed ceiling were brilliant and alive. Their colors were so rich and vibrant. The stark white backdrop of this restaurant was perfect for displaying the many stunning splashed of glitz and kitsch. My daughter and I were seated on the second floor. According to my Serendipity Cookbook Michael Douglas, Francis Scavullo, Danny DeVito, Rhea Pearlman and Kim Basinger have all sat at that very table.<br /><br />I was in heaven. Kim Basinger was an 80's and 90's goddess to me. She still is a goddess to this day. I love her. And Francis Scavullo??? I think I may have been even more star struck over him. Not only was he a world famous photographer but he was most famous for shooting just about every single cover of Cosmopolitan known to man. I was thrilled to be sitting at this table. It was perfect. Of course I also kept looking over my shoulder at the table where John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale famously met in the move Serendipity.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C-nw_6zwHdY/WisuLaBNukI/AAAAAAAAFv8/66iElIyDjyEltQHWkm51OV2zWsct7qNpgCLcBGAs/s1600/3b0411ff07d61a5db73e48c416a845c2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="515" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C-nw_6zwHdY/WisuLaBNukI/AAAAAAAAFv8/66iElIyDjyEltQHWkm51OV2zWsct7qNpgCLcBGAs/s320/3b0411ff07d61a5db73e48c416a845c2.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Frozen Hot Chocolate</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Our server was a super friendly girl. My daughter and I ordered our drinks first because we were still undecided on our meals. Heather ordered the frozen Strawberry Supreme and I got the famous Frozen Hot Chocolate. When our server returned with our drinks, our eyes got so wide from amazement. Our drinks were huge. My frozen hot chocolate was so rich and creamy. They definitely used premium chocolate. My daughter's drink was made with real strawberries creating the perfect blend of sweet and tart. The drinks alone were well worth the visit.<br /><br />Our server then took our lunch order. I ordered the Chicken Diva, which is like a Chicken Parmesan, but spicy. It was so delicious and huge. My daughter ordered the Summer Bries sandwich. It consisted of turkey, apples, brie and alfalfa sprouts. She got it on the Irish Soda bread instead of the Pumpernickel. Her sandwich was huge as well and looked soooooo good. Between the enormous, luscious, frozen drinks and the scrumptious lunch, I had no idea how we were going to manage dessert.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z93LMt_WZ7U/WisuRnuHAgI/AAAAAAAAFwE/zGlK-Sp5Eb4YWM8MzowHiR8UkO5qJUcIwCLcBGAs/s1600/292897_4014803461928_2011865219_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Strawberry Supreme" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z93LMt_WZ7U/WisuRnuHAgI/AAAAAAAAFwE/zGlK-Sp5Eb4YWM8MzowHiR8UkO5qJUcIwCLcBGAs/s400/292897_4014803461928_2011865219_n.jpg" title="Serendipity 3" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sweet 16 Strawberry Supreme</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You see, Serendipity 3 is known for their tremendous desserts and confections. And by tremendous I mean The Hulk and Godzilla would both be very pleased with the size of the desserts. Yes the desserts are a little pricey. Back in 2008 it was $8.00 for a frozen hot chocolate and $16 for a Santa Sleigh Sundae. However, they DO NOT skimp at all on portion on anything. Plus, everything tastes deliciously homemade. It is worth every single penny and you are dining in a unicorn's lair which is priceless in my opinion.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />We decided to order the Santa Sleigh Sundae for my daughter's birthday dessert. This sundae was jam packed with ice cream, creamy marshmallow sauce, tons and tons of gooey hot fudge, green and red sprinkles, a mountain of whipped cream, strawberry sauce, a candy cane and a marshmallow tree. My jaw dropped when our server brought it to the table. I knew I was going to be of no help to my daughter. I think I had maybe two bites. I was too full. We were in no hurry though. My daughter took her time and ate as much of the sundae as she could. She did good.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1WDnEQZRMOU/Wisu9aIEYTI/AAAAAAAAFwQ/sbRG94-FVBga_3za-im2QVC09IGjQ7UkgCLcBGAs/s1600/206825_1024962997785_6008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Santa Sleigh sundae" border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1WDnEQZRMOU/Wisu9aIEYTI/AAAAAAAAFwQ/sbRG94-FVBga_3za-im2QVC09IGjQ7UkgCLcBGAs/s400/206825_1024962997785_6008_n.jpg" title="Serendipity 3" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Santa's Sleigh is huge.....and tasty!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It was time to say goodbye to the Serendipity 3 but not before we were presented with one more treat.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The owner, Stephen Bruce was actually at the restaurant during our visit, signing copies of his dessert cookbook Sweet Serendipity. So, as a Christmas present for me and everyone I bake for, I bought the book and had him sign it. He is such a nice man, very personable. I wanted to ask him about Warhol but I chickened out. Honestly. I was thrilled just to meet the head unicorn. It was the perfect ending to a perfect experience.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">( I have also made several desserts from this cookbook, all of which came out fantastic. The frozen drinks are AMAZING!!)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-46eNs2Ijgf8/WisvJ_4DHxI/AAAAAAAAFwU/JmyzQU9X6t8CgbX7ulvFJzmxN-_e62CMgCLcBGAs/s1600/24796555_10212984628883885_2194594304262417060_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-46eNs2Ijgf8/WisvJ_4DHxI/AAAAAAAAFwU/JmyzQU9X6t8CgbX7ulvFJzmxN-_e62CMgCLcBGAs/s320/24796555_10212984628883885_2194594304262417060_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EFJWhFHFhdc/WisvNry_LoI/AAAAAAAAFwY/P5mPWVkoXW4W36R1JJ17xDXVjslIcGBuQCLcBGAs/s1600/24862588_10212984629923911_8531168113939088452_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EFJWhFHFhdc/WisvNry_LoI/AAAAAAAAFwY/P5mPWVkoXW4W36R1JJ17xDXVjslIcGBuQCLcBGAs/s320/24862588_10212984629923911_8531168113939088452_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, it was truly a Serendipitous Day. I was looking for something wonderful, that being an experience at Serendipity 3. I ended up with something even more wonderful and unexpected, that being my sharing a once upon a time teenage dream with my sweet 16 teenage daughter and being able to meet the man who inspired this entire, magical dream, Stephen Bruce. True Serendipity.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.serendipity3.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Serendipity 3</a></b></span></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVxRWR7phn0/WisvZ5bjsyI/AAAAAAAAFwc/2g2RPsk8l48Ot2W2bmvJ0TbvijZlKklkACLcBGAs/s1600/serendipity-19-638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Serendipity Quote" border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="638" height="307" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVxRWR7phn0/WisvZ5bjsyI/AAAAAAAAFwc/2g2RPsk8l48Ot2W2bmvJ0TbvijZlKklkACLcBGAs/s400/serendipity-19-638.jpg" title="Serendipity Quote" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">I believe good comes into all our lives. And the best kind of good is sometimes the most unexpected kind. Sometimes we see it. Sometimes we allow it to pass us by.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">If you are wondering about the Serendipity in your life, look at it like this.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Serendipity can be defined two ways.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">1. Searching for something and finding something even better than you expected.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">&nbsp; &nbsp; I am not talking the grass is greener type stuff, I am talking the deep in your soul type stuff.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">2. Searching for something and finding exactly what you needed.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">&nbsp; &nbsp; I am talking about the missing pieces in your life coming to you in ways you may not have expected but exactly as you needed them.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">As for me, I wish that for all of us, we experience as much Serendipity as possible in this life.&nbsp;</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tAdxJlwvHYo/WisyHIw1Z-I/AAAAAAAAFww/Z_Y69VSBo38bp7jrxh0q-G2fFOHvwOj5QCLcBGAs/s1600/311466_10150297368801309_946031172_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="274" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tAdxJlwvHYo/WisyHIw1Z-I/AAAAAAAAFww/Z_Y69VSBo38bp7jrxh0q-G2fFOHvwOj5QCLcBGAs/s400/311466_10150297368801309_946031172_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><br /></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-2752001110007236402017-11-30T17:59:00.001-08:002017-12-12T18:17:57.515-08:00# 354 Attend A White Elephant Party<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FD7s6k2DAlU/WiCxao5YXhI/AAAAAAAAFqM/7WdWH0VAJe8K8Tkk8dOxs-5xpp17hP45wCLcBGAs/s1600/15349578_10209970549013772_7542593900363935916_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="948" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FD7s6k2DAlU/WiCxao5YXhI/AAAAAAAAFqM/7WdWH0VAJe8K8Tkk8dOxs-5xpp17hP45wCLcBGAs/s320/15349578_10209970549013772_7542593900363935916_n.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Birthday Jesus! I wrapped it myself. LOL!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Have you ever attended a White Elephant party around the holidays? If not, I highly recommend you do. You can even start the tradition among friends and family and host one yourself. I promise, you will not be sorry! They are a total riot. A White Elephant Party is a perfect way to take a step back from some of the stress the holidays conjure so you can laugh your ass off and make a complete fool of yourself with those nearest and dearest to you. It's a perfect way to chill out while spending quality time with your favs around the holidays.<br /><br />So what is a White Elephant Party you ask? Allow me to explain.<br /><br />In it's simplest form, a White Elephant Party is a gift exchange party. And while there are many variations and themes that can be implemented into a White Elephant Party depending on preference and tradition, there is one basic, universal rule that must be followed for it to be a true White Elephant Party. That one rule is, no one is allowed to spend money on their gift.<br /><br />But if you can't spend any money, what are you supposed to give as a gift then? Oh kids....This is where the real fun begins. Grab a box, put on some Christmas music, pour your favorite adult beverage&nbsp;and get ready to clean house. Trust me, you will thoroughly enjoy this chore.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jGCYTj005GA/WiCx68bDTnI/AAAAAAAAFqU/HrHdRqThZsY1U_09iz2Soh5CNQwuUe4ugCLcBGAs/s1600/15590119_10209977837395977_8263683575066398895_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jGCYTj005GA/WiCx68bDTnI/AAAAAAAAFqU/HrHdRqThZsY1U_09iz2Soh5CNQwuUe4ugCLcBGAs/s400/15590119_10209977837395977_8263683575066398895_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>What's in the box? What's in the boooooooxxxxxx?</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Let's start in the kitchen. That 7 year old jar of salsa collecting dust in the top shelf of your cabinet would make a great gift. Let's put that in the box. While we are at it, let's put all the mismatched tupperware in the box as well. Oh look, some used birthday cake candles. Maybe someone can use a #7 and #8 candle. Someone out there is going to be turning 78 or 87 right? Too bad the #9 candle is no longer there but 789 ya know. Very tragic.<br /><br />Moving on to the living room. That burnt umber and avocado green afghan your neighbor made 40 years ago would be the perfect gift to give. I mean it's vintage right? Put it in the box. Why not throw in some more vintage items too. A VHS tape of the cult classic "9 1/2 Weeks" and some framed pictures of you and your ex can be like a really weird Netflix and chill gift for the lucky recipient.<br /><br />Time to visit the bathroom. That big bottle of specialty vitamins that gives you insane gas is still in the medicine cabinet. Box it! Someone may also appreciate the half used bottle of Nexus Voluminizing conditioner you wanted so much to love but did not. Toss that puppy in there as well. Throw that Dollar Store pack of panty liners in there too. F@ck it.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RW21BkxW8wM/WiOH5VikoLI/AAAAAAAAFu8/oLkFVG4vQ-Yn5-LT93JGofPsbx3JIOdvgCLcBGAs/s1600/12373403_10153681064967850_1411699461596540026_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RW21BkxW8wM/WiOH5VikoLI/AAAAAAAAFu8/oLkFVG4vQ-Yn5-LT93JGofPsbx3JIOdvgCLcBGAs/s320/12373403_10153681064967850_1411699461596540026_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Channeling my inner Ziggy Stardust</b></td></tr></tbody></table>In the bedroom the possibilities truly become endless. 7 inch heeled glitter disco boots reminiscent of 1970's Kiss concerts and Ziggy Stardust would make a fun and fabulous gift. In the box they go. That white fur trimmed Santa nightie could turn any cookie into cream. Box it. Teal and Yellow nail polishes. Box it. The full bottle of old lady perfume that smells like musk, talcum powder and flounder, someone may like it. I think? Toss it in the box.....gently though because if that bottle breaks, you are going to have to move to a new house.<br /><br />The attic treasures are true gift giving gems. Broken Christmas ornaments, blue plastic flowers, creepy clown dolls (which should be burned), and a years worth of Field and Stream magazines from 1983 fit so nicely in the box. And you know someone is going to absolutely adore the box of 15 year old, engraved, rosy pink napkins from your wedding. Let's throw in a box of engraved matchbooks from your wedding too. Why not? Tis the season of giving. (Let's just hope their marriage turns out better than yours.) Laugh out loud.<br /><br />Down to the basement we go. That woven Baja hoodie that smells of must and weed hanging from the rafter, someone needs that in their life for sure. Toss it in the box. Someone also needs a half used can of gold spray paint and some rusty Philip head screwdrivers in their life too. And a tape measure. Hello box.<br /><br />Finally we make our way to the car trunk. Oh look, a nice little lunch tote. Let's open it. Oh look, it's the remnants of a lunch I ate 9 months ago turning the most beautiful shade of blue in the tupperware container. Let's......throw it in the box. Make sure to wrap it in 100 plastic bags first because you did notice a slight odor emanating through the container. Just a slight one.<br /><br />( Seriously though, You can't make this shit up. Someone really received this as a part of their gift one year. It wasn't me but it was hilarious nonetheless. I did get a 7 year old jar of salsa though. LMAO!!)<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXMkHXk9WyU/WiCyPSrNH9I/AAAAAAAAFqY/vuChGgPCONYpVuFWWCEBRAtNs9SRfJSzQCLcBGAs/s1600/15492029_10209977836795962_2671621632112773287_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXMkHXk9WyU/WiCyPSrNH9I/AAAAAAAAFqY/vuChGgPCONYpVuFWWCEBRAtNs9SRfJSzQCLcBGAs/s320/15492029_10209977836795962_2671621632112773287_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lunch bag complete with used lunch! LOL!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Oh the laughs!!! Don't get me wrong, it is perfectly acceptable to give nice things as well. Sometimes we purchase or receive very nice things that we just can't use as much as we would like or don't really need after all. You know, those impulse purchases we tend to make....all the time. I have been the recipient of some really pretty and useful gifts to go with all the fun and wacky gifts in my White Elephant experiences. It's all about balance really. Mixing a can of crazy with some real treasures is always a pleasant experience.<br /><br />The only other rule of the party I attend is that we draw numbers to choose gifts. The higher the number you draw, the better. Why? Because we are allowed to steal gifts from others. In other words, if you draw the number ten, and you are absolutely in love with the present that number 3 picked, you can steal her gift. She in turn gets to open another gift. No one has ever stolen a gift yet though. Most of the time if there is something someone else really wants and the gift recipient is not attached to it, she will just give it to the person.<br /><br />(One year, Crystal gave me her sparkly 7 inch heeled Gene Simmons boots. I loved her so much for that. I was also the recipient of the Santa nightie. I love it and I still have it. )<br /><br />The White Elephant party I have had the privilege of attending the past few years is so much fun. We laugh and eat and drink, then laugh and eat and drink some more. Our hosts have incorporated a cookie exchange into the party as well which is even more wonderful. For someone like me, that is like Christmas morning. I get presents and treats. I also get to laugh to the point of tears with some of my most favorite people on earth. That is the biggest gift of all.<br /><br />Below are some of our finest White Elephant Party shenanigans and well as some links explaining about the parties and how to host one.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YJZ65zHFGV0/WiCyu35XhSI/AAAAAAAAFqk/R3K9tm4yE4cOf5Cc42Pmw5FrtfLEpxjcgCLcBGAs/s1600/312888_4564313119326_329312484_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YJZ65zHFGV0/WiCyu35XhSI/AAAAAAAAFqk/R3K9tm4yE4cOf5Cc42Pmw5FrtfLEpxjcgCLcBGAs/s400/312888_4564313119326_329312484_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of the gals gave away photos of her ex.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0RkiaHDO6I/WiCztks7FiI/AAAAAAAAFqs/z9hV4jLRRJQu2vzW3brsy1iJ3ce7PfNbACLcBGAs/s1600/12345545_10206940051053217_8309225175886909390_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0RkiaHDO6I/WiCztks7FiI/AAAAAAAAFqs/z9hV4jLRRJQu2vzW3brsy1iJ3ce7PfNbACLcBGAs/s400/12345545_10206940051053217_8309225175886909390_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Becky made a friend. A naked friend.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujPMgMy_qDQ/WiCz2eYgqsI/AAAAAAAAFqw/_PWCZ0_hGzY1p5rF8g3wYvUJzAmPB98VQCLcBGAs/s1600/72315_4564313399333_672705245_n_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujPMgMy_qDQ/WiCz2eYgqsI/AAAAAAAAFqw/_PWCZ0_hGzY1p5rF8g3wYvUJzAmPB98VQCLcBGAs/s400/72315_4564313399333_672705245_n_LI.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I am noticing a theme with Becky. LOL!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5wwhQUW2eNg/WiC0G5UgUbI/AAAAAAAAFq0/HlbUE7-v6AQOi4-taQZI7WBuPA_HCvP0gCLcBGAs/s1600/12313982_10206940047573130_4166944037542696417_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5wwhQUW2eNg/WiC0G5UgUbI/AAAAAAAAFq0/HlbUE7-v6AQOi4-taQZI7WBuPA_HCvP0gCLcBGAs/s400/12313982_10206940047573130_4166944037542696417_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We all love each other so much!</b>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-owEcfD60k-0/WiC0P1zSF6I/AAAAAAAAFq8/LFeNpEfqhHIPTUf_30sZeqDhyGycQ7ATACLcBGAs/s1600/15541265_10209977836835963_1037747599363987648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-owEcfD60k-0/WiC0P1zSF6I/AAAAAAAAFq8/LFeNpEfqhHIPTUf_30sZeqDhyGycQ7ATACLcBGAs/s400/15541265_10209977836835963_1037747599363987648_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Party Girl Meg!! Get on with your bad self girl! Have some lunch!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ei5HIzYur8I/WiC0gEoilnI/AAAAAAAAFrA/XZJ9cOdSXf4kQaA0m69yXDpMVVDqexu1QCLcBGAs/s1600/12341407_10206940053733284_6726958258242711905_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ei5HIzYur8I/WiC0gEoilnI/AAAAAAAAFrA/XZJ9cOdSXf4kQaA0m69yXDpMVVDqexu1QCLcBGAs/s400/12341407_10206940053733284_6726958258242711905_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Becky's Sugar Cookie Christmas Trees</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0bWxu-9S88/WiC09vLo58I/AAAAAAAAFrI/UWGUT3b_9vcQ04E-e4zEePhrW2PJCOTUwCLcBGAs/s1600/15492423_10209969136418458_4768818817318499503_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0bWxu-9S88/WiC09vLo58I/AAAAAAAAFrI/UWGUT3b_9vcQ04E-e4zEePhrW2PJCOTUwCLcBGAs/s400/15492423_10209969136418458_4768818817318499503_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzvJ2JpHMj8/WiC1KM1yeII/AAAAAAAAFrQ/a7m_je0sqMEcKZf4bwBn8rYp3CROg1GgACLcBGAs/s1600/15590472_10209977836395952_2811007553116288566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="959" height="243" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzvJ2JpHMj8/WiC1KM1yeII/AAAAAAAAFrQ/a7m_je0sqMEcKZf4bwBn8rYp3CROg1GgACLcBGAs/s400/15590472_10209977836395952_2811007553116288566_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of last years treats!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAFUWSsY8IQ/WiC1VSLCPeI/AAAAAAAAFrU/9oSHDLeAH8U4aUCJqiPvkxr1sv2oii9dQCLcBGAs/s1600/15542454_10209977931478329_1471068516578736752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="960" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAFUWSsY8IQ/WiC1VSLCPeI/AAAAAAAAFrU/9oSHDLeAH8U4aUCJqiPvkxr1sv2oii9dQCLcBGAs/s400/15542454_10209977931478329_1471068516578736752_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Last year's prizes!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWwBWdNbI6Q/WiC1fAnc6mI/AAAAAAAAFrc/ErxkErMIEkMWcux24nbanuCvVypW3cIHACLcBGAs/s1600/12341017_10206940054093293_5023550152365097639_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWwBWdNbI6Q/WiC1fAnc6mI/AAAAAAAAFrc/ErxkErMIEkMWcux24nbanuCvVypW3cIHACLcBGAs/s400/12341017_10206940054093293_5023550152365097639_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Prizes from two years ago! Look at those boots!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYhmAnxbrQY/WiC1qFdn7vI/AAAAAAAAFrg/VvAChT013UI6PW21POkIw-rh6dVLJl6BgCLcBGAs/s1600/12341524_10206933159920943_4360610854630803018_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="399" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYhmAnxbrQY/WiC1qFdn7vI/AAAAAAAAFrg/VvAChT013UI6PW21POkIw-rh6dVLJl6BgCLcBGAs/s400/12341524_10206933159920943_4360610854630803018_n.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rocking my gifts!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tj0MlKJX3xg/WiC21hRA8kI/AAAAAAAAFrs/QIqd53eSnOsuKzKQ5YQpqz9TxDUr2kTbwCLcBGAs/s1600/12316248_10206940047853137_7050145654734832730_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tj0MlKJX3xg/WiC21hRA8kI/AAAAAAAAFrs/QIqd53eSnOsuKzKQ5YQpqz9TxDUr2kTbwCLcBGAs/s400/12316248_10206940047853137_7050145654734832730_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These Lovely Angels right here.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">All About White Elephant Parties</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><a href="https://www.whiteelephantrules.com/" target="_blank">Learning The Rules&nbsp;</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><a href="https://www.whiteelephantrules.com/add-sparkle-white-elephant-party/" target="_blank">White Elephant Fun</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Organize-a-White-Elephant-Gift-Exchange" target="_blank">How To Organize A White Elephant Party</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Happy Holidays!!!</span>&nbsp;</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ht6DHTnq74/WiC3X1lgpPI/AAAAAAAAFr0/IY_LuWGYsosRVjobbafr8vkrwm1RrJBpgCLcBGAs/s1600/15492147_10209977837475979_8925311511608330492_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ht6DHTnq74/WiC3X1lgpPI/AAAAAAAAFr0/IY_LuWGYsosRVjobbafr8vkrwm1RrJBpgCLcBGAs/s400/15492147_10209977837475979_8925311511608330492_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-89431947763431510112017-11-07T15:59:00.000-08:002017-11-07T17:44:55.464-08:00#445 Attend A One Night Art ClassAs part of the fun filled weekend of April 22nd and 23rd, 2017, my mother, daughter, sisters and my sista from another mista Becky, were registered to take an art class at The Next Picasso. The class we chose was a wooden sign project with our family name stenciled on it. We had seen these beautiful signs on the Next Picasso's website and loved them. They were so cool. I could not wait to make one for myself. "Paint and Sips" are "Basically" always a good time! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tPqUibo8AmA/WeOiZDBqqWI/AAAAAAAAFmk/IugR0kvRXbMHmBsbHYtV8c3CqIp0xmmFACLcBGAs/s1600/19656937_1540492712660916_7863711257355086287_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tPqUibo8AmA/WeOiZDBqqWI/AAAAAAAAFmk/IugR0kvRXbMHmBsbHYtV8c3CqIp0xmmFACLcBGAs/s640/19656937_1540492712660916_7863711257355086287_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />In case I lost you, allow me to explain.<br /><br />"Paint and Sips" have become part of the "Basic" culture. "Basic" culture is comprised of mass trends mostly committed by women and include heavy hitters such as Ugg boots, leggings, pumpkin flavored products, yoga, yoga pants, wine, wine tastings, wineries, (anything concerning bottled grapes really), salads, wraps, Starbucks, Lu LaRoe clothing, Ulta, Coach products, Michael Kors products, Alex and Ani bracelets, scarves, headbands, Zumba classes, Bath and Body Works stuff and shady taco trucks. ( Well, that last one is questionable but I think it is way cool and fun.)<br /><br />And guess what?? I loooooooooooove being a Basic Bitch! I am completely comfortable with my basic side because it balances my quirky, off the wall side pretty well. And let's be honest, most of the stuff I mentioned above is awesome, cool and fun. Most. Not all of them but most of them. I am not here to judge though. If something makes a person's life more happy, is a non jailable offense and isn't hurting anyone in the process, then by all means, they should enjoy it.<br /><br />And the trend that is "Paint and Sip" is a fun one. Most of these events are geared towards an art project such as painting a picture, wine glass or sign. Wine, spirits, beverages and food are welcomed to these events. The attendees of the class all paint the same picture. The teacher walks everyone through painting the picture step by step. You honestly do not have to be a good artist to create a work of art because the canvas usually has the design traced on it by the teacher. The teacher also explains what brush to use and what order to apply each paint color.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pSqfqHhpOdk/WeOlwpxOqRI/AAAAAAAAFmw/duhZU2c9odM2PboQHSUFH78LxiKOvb2ywCLcBGAs/s1600/10845924_10204508208898683_15788692239410948_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pSqfqHhpOdk/WeOlwpxOqRI/AAAAAAAAFmw/duhZU2c9odM2PboQHSUFH78LxiKOvb2ywCLcBGAs/s320/10845924_10204508208898683_15788692239410948_n.jpg" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My first Paint and Sip. Loved it!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>I have been to three of these events. I made a Christmas tree painting with my friend Mare. I now want to make a tree painting for each season. For Becky's birthday a few years back, we had a girls night out where we painted a picture of coffee cups. I gave that picture to my parents because they love coffee and the colors went perfect with their decor. For this Blog, I will talk about my sign painting experience. I will also have some tips for the first timers out there.<br /><br />We headed to a beautiful barn in Drums for our class. This was the home of the Next Picasso. Some "Paint and Sip" venues are held in community centers, bars and restaurants. Some venues are actual "Paint and Sip" businesses. This was an actual business. Our instructor was really sweet and a lot of fun. She greeted us warmly, gave us our boards and stencils then brought us upstairs to the classroom. She directed us to chose a table and stated we could put our food and beverages in the little kitchen area across from the classroom.<br /><br />Immediately, I fell in love with this barn. We all did. The decor and ambiance was serene and bucolic. I so much wanted to move in and call it home. I snapped a few pictures of the decor then brought the chicken and waffle sandwiches and Bloody Mary mix I made over to the kitchen area. I decided to make Bloody Marys for this event rather than bring wine because wine just disagrees with me anymore. It sucks but perhaps it is a good thing too. Okay, I'm lying. I did bring wine but I brought it for my sisters. Becks and I helped ourselves to delicious Bloody Marys.<br /><br />My sister Alicia shocked us all when she pulled out a flask. She does not drink very much so I thought maybe it was filled with water. She offered me a sip. Yep! Definitely not water. Definitely bourbon. I beamed at my sister with pride. I also took a few more swigs from her flask because I do love me some bourbon. Pace yourself Chrissy. You paid to make a beautiful sign. Let's not change this into a fingerpainted nightmare that even a two year old would laugh at because you drank too much of everything.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hQmo5-IhpQ/WeOmEE8fsMI/AAAAAAAAFm0/HGgL3hL1y8gWAIfvpuIiJgrFw4ZEro7ewCLcBGAs/s1600/17990961_10211123310272083_4265696749551639546_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hQmo5-IhpQ/WeOmEE8fsMI/AAAAAAAAFm0/HGgL3hL1y8gWAIfvpuIiJgrFw4ZEro7ewCLcBGAs/s400/17990961_10211123310272083_4265696749551639546_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bloody Mary's on Sunday, cuz it's a funday!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKstYKbsKps/WeOmPnlwjGI/AAAAAAAAFm4/rFhaQXyalw4Qn8Fwz046Re9bu0SuRPIoQCLcBGAs/s1600/18119088_10211123316952250_972931370004916940_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKstYKbsKps/WeOmPnlwjGI/AAAAAAAAFm4/rFhaQXyalw4Qn8Fwz046Re9bu0SuRPIoQCLcBGAs/s400/18119088_10211123316952250_972931370004916940_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Getting ready to paint some signs and sip some wines.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcg2UPvM1SI/WeOmUBis_VI/AAAAAAAAFm8/M_0KMVCvy00kUtTPF5DH2cR6vm4LrNP6gCLcBGAs/s1600/18118855_10211123315872223_6317697961043849054_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcg2UPvM1SI/WeOmUBis_VI/AAAAAAAAFm8/M_0KMVCvy00kUtTPF5DH2cR6vm4LrNP6gCLcBGAs/s320/18118855_10211123315872223_6317697961043849054_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The "Cleaner" and her flask of bourbon.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>As I started hammering my second Bloody Mary, Becky gave my family members, whom were new to this experience, some very sage advice. &nbsp;Here are some tips if you are thinking about partaking in a "Paint and Sip".<br /><br />1. Keep you paintbrush water cup and your drinking vessel as far apart from each other as humanly possible.<br />2. Pace yourself with the "sipping". It impairs your judgement.<br />3. If you accidentally do not follow the first two sips, I mean steps, and take a big ol drunken swig of your muddy paint water, try not to spit it out all over the place. But, do not swallow it either.<br /><br />So yea, we learned this valuable wisdom at Becky's "Paint and Sip" a few years back when a very inebriated blonde woman was not paying attention to cup placement and chugged her paint brush water. As soon as the gulp resonated in my mouth it took everything in my power not to spew it out all over poor Caryn and Meghan, whom were seated next to me. The taste of mud and chemicals permeated my mouth as the horrible water started flooding my nostrils.<br /><br />As lady like as I possibly could, I spit the water back into my cup, and down my arm, and all over my shirt, and on the floor. Did I say lady like? Oh, that's funny. I then had to use half a roll of paper towels to sop up the mess my acrylic laced DNA created. The rest of the night, everything tasted like chemicals. And for those of you wondering, yes, I did get sick from this unfortunate incident. I was nauseous for the remainder of the evening and had to call it an early night. Booze and acrylic paint do not make for an enjoyable combo in one's stomach.<br /><br />So, if there is one piece of advice you should heed, that would be it.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7cFsENjJe8/WeOnBVJODDI/AAAAAAAAFnA/NEKwQoqOHbIDE_O3fydZCDxBMlIBAnUhACLcBGAs/s1600/11069919_10205247197812944_2464960674195774624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7cFsENjJe8/WeOnBVJODDI/AAAAAAAAFnA/NEKwQoqOHbIDE_O3fydZCDxBMlIBAnUhACLcBGAs/s320/11069919_10205247197812944_2464960674195774624_n.jpg" width="176" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ghzT14Q8II/WeOnGTT3sNI/AAAAAAAAFnE/u1NJbdPXXlQ36YkqFPf7qW9w7vG2JBKqQCLcBGAs/s1600/10930140_10205247203293081_6423757953876106748_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ghzT14Q8II/WeOnGTT3sNI/AAAAAAAAFnE/u1NJbdPXXlQ36YkqFPf7qW9w7vG2JBKqQCLcBGAs/s320/10930140_10205247203293081_6423757953876106748_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My Coffee Creation and yea....not sure you are supposed to use those kind of brushes to paint your face. Although they would probably be a great base coat brush for shadows.&nbsp;</b></div><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNTO6i5-iXs/WeOoI9bt0uI/AAAAAAAAFnQ/7joXnQlQUAUVYtWN7fjlh8g75bcsCaPDACLcBGAs/s1600/18057721_10211123321152355_2685830988340598006_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNTO6i5-iXs/WeOoI9bt0uI/AAAAAAAAFnQ/7joXnQlQUAUVYtWN7fjlh8g75bcsCaPDACLcBGAs/s320/18057721_10211123321152355_2685830988340598006_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I loved my sign so much!!!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Now, back to the painting class. We were making wooden plaques with a name of our choice. I chose my maiden name and "Est. 1973" because that is the year I became a DeCosmo. Mostly I became a DeCosmo because that was the year I was born and DeCosmo is my dad's last name. My daughter and my sister Alicia chose their first name for their sign. Becky chose her last name. My mom and sister Steph chose "The "Married Name" Family" for their signs. Their established date was the date they were married.<br /><br />I must say, our group had a nice variety of signage ideas.<br /><br />We used our stencils in steps since some layering would be involved. We started with the big letter first. The big letter was the beginning letter in either the first or last name you were using. Mine was a "D" for "DeCosmo". We used modge podge as a base before we painted to prevent the acryllics from seeping under the stencil. It worked great. If any paint did seep, you were able to use Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove the blemishes from the stained boards or, really fine tipped paint brushes dipped in white paint to cover any flaws on the white boards.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UdElSXBIoxY/WeOn2rQibrI/AAAAAAAAFnI/hzIHO0VTj7wTisLrhffG6DBwKXLMPxY9QCLcBGAs/s1600/18057062_10211123326112479_5288557701867146059_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UdElSXBIoxY/WeOn2rQibrI/AAAAAAAAFnI/hzIHO0VTj7wTisLrhffG6DBwKXLMPxY9QCLcBGAs/s320/18057062_10211123326112479_5288557701867146059_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt-gU7DSzsA/WeOn8xBtkGI/AAAAAAAAFnM/WXVXS0Qc8lExSm0hFixIIXAB8vWF1f-lwCLcBGAs/s1600/17992095_10211123326392486_995937855879959786_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt-gU7DSzsA/WeOn8xBtkGI/AAAAAAAAFnM/WXVXS0Qc8lExSm0hFixIIXAB8vWF1f-lwCLcBGAs/s320/17992095_10211123326392486_995937855879959786_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Good times with the family! this was such a great day!&nbsp;</b></div><br />We all had to practice a little patience waiting for the modge podge then, the paint to dry before gently peeling off each stencil. None of us really minded though because we were having a great time chatting and checking out everyone else's boards. It was really neat to see everyone's choice of color combinations for their wooden signs. No two were the same. All were very beautiful and reflected the artists' personalities perfectly. I can honestly say every single sign came out so pretty.<br /><br />Our instructor was very patient and very helpful. However, as the class progressed, she may not have been the only one working the room. Perhaps while our instructor was helping some of the students attach picture wire to the back of their signs, a certain someone may have taken over the easel and was assisting other class members with antiquing their paintings using a stained wax. And perhaps another student decided to clean and organize the entire room while the instructor was taking pictures of our artwork.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNEpT8U_9WI/WeOoRDFQmqI/AAAAAAAAFnU/xOXB7BnIqmMctDaBiPDRIN1lrbjPoW0XgCLcBGAs/s1600/18057155_10211123319592316_2057269994549820504_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNEpT8U_9WI/WeOoRDFQmqI/AAAAAAAAFnU/xOXB7BnIqmMctDaBiPDRIN1lrbjPoW0XgCLcBGAs/s320/18057155_10211123319592316_2057269994549820504_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gaZMgH2Uz7Y/WeOoUq3fEyI/AAAAAAAAFnY/yXsm_ucbe-wo8oK6XqBzRqNF2xVtRcRrQCLcBGAs/s1600/18056834_10211123321352360_9035717065321307777_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gaZMgH2Uz7Y/WeOoUq3fEyI/AAAAAAAAFnY/yXsm_ucbe-wo8oK6XqBzRqNF2xVtRcRrQCLcBGAs/s320/18056834_10211123321352360_9035717065321307777_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Heather is already an artist so she was very particular about her work. We also had a new instructor in our class. She can't help it. Becky is a natural leader and teacher.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Neither one of these students were me. I just made sure the Bloody Mary Mix was drunk because we don't waste alcohol. I am also happy to report that I did not drink any paint water this time. Instead, I spilled it all over the table. I may have spilled some paint too. And, I may have put a paint brush in my Bloody Mary cup. No worries though because I brought extra cups. I think I did pretty good this time.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avxaoCgOSnI/WeOpIepVoZI/AAAAAAAAFng/WNpSmYDLDOcgxI3L5KH6xxg0NGQYKQyXwCLcBGAs/s1600/18010582_10211123327072503_1881050136360742308_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avxaoCgOSnI/WeOpIepVoZI/AAAAAAAAFng/WNpSmYDLDOcgxI3L5KH6xxg0NGQYKQyXwCLcBGAs/s400/18010582_10211123327072503_1881050136360742308_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fits in perfectly with my woodland cabin meets beach cottage style!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Anyways, I highly recommend taking a one night art class. They are such a blast and you get to walk out with your own work of art, created by you, for you. Who wouldn't enjoy that!<br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica neue&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeaf4tIP5oY/WeOpzCa19aI/AAAAAAAAFnk/-I6QgrIuGckRXePKiL8AAZDf3eh0pYIQQCLcBGAs/s1600/18056933_10211123320912349_923334790645881746_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zeaf4tIP5oY/WeOpzCa19aI/AAAAAAAAFnk/-I6QgrIuGckRXePKiL8AAZDf3eh0pYIQQCLcBGAs/s320/18056933_10211123320912349_923334790645881746_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-53904181832758947792017-10-17T15:24:00.000-07:002017-10-17T15:24:28.835-07:00#476 Try Bubble TeaOn a recent trip to State College to visit my son, I had the opportunity to try Bubble Tea. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it but I felt that way about many foods at first. I thought I would hate sushi, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, mussels, Pad Thai, rice pudding, Easter pie, Chicago dogs and chow mei fun. They are actually some of my favorite foods now. I still hate calamari though. Breaded rubber bands are not tasty to me but a lot of people love it so I do not judge.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SiSt7dW6PW0/WeKO6yuUz_I/AAAAAAAAFmI/s-5d5ZFLlUcOqjSzm5HbrjSgHN4XTHptACLcBGAs/s1600/18268545_10211199015484666_308561568813295643_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bubble Tea" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SiSt7dW6PW0/WeKO6yuUz_I/AAAAAAAAFmI/s-5d5ZFLlUcOqjSzm5HbrjSgHN4XTHptACLcBGAs/s400/18268545_10211199015484666_308561568813295643_n.jpg" title="Bubble Tea" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubble Tea from Cafe WOW in State College</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyways, this quest for bubble tea began back in December of 2016. My son wanted to treat my daughter to a Bubble Tea for her birthday. Three times we went to the Bubble Tea place and three times they were closed. It was holiday break and spring break so we understood why they were closed. No students equals no business. It made sense but at the same time, we began to believe we were never going to try this elusive Bubble Tea.<br /><br />Then finally, on my most recent visit to State College, the Bubble Tea place was open. Hooray!!! Let's do this. We entered into the cute little Bubble Tea cafe called Cafe WOW. They offered tasty looking Taiwanese pastries, smoothies, milk teas and fruit teas. You could select either a clear based tea or a milk based tea for your Bubble tea. The kiddos picked their teas. They chose milk based teas. I also wanted to try a milk based tea. As they were waiting for their beverages, I studied the menu a little longer. They offered delicious flavors such as Honeydew, Vanilla, Banana, Peach, Strawberry, Papaya, and Pineapple.<br /><br />However, I wanted to try a unique flavor. A few listed flavors definitely intrigued me. What did Taro taste like? What was Red Date Longan? How would Lavender or Jasmine taste in a Bubble milk tea? Red Date Longan and Taro just kept jumping out at me for some reason. The barista at the counter was waiting patiently for me to decide. I was struggling to make a decision so I went with Red Date Longan because that was the first one to really jump out at me.<br /><br />Once we all had our beverages, we took a seat outside at a little metal bistro table. Nervously I studied my drink. The bubbles in the tea were black. I pictured them being translucent, like real bubbles. Why were they black? They were also a lot bigger than I was expecting. I am not a fan of tapioca but for whatever reason, I was expecting clear, tiny tapioca bubbles in my tea. These were large, tapioca, jelly like bubbles. There was a slightly red, beige tint to my tea as well. It looked a little like chocolate milk to be honest. Unfortunately, it did not taste like chocolate milk. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K5C60cHZnzM/WeKPaxIViII/AAAAAAAAFmM/9NSH4fFyaIQ36TbIAeN2yMr_9iFl3e05wCLcBGAs/s1600/18222545_10211199021484816_2262323656453439016_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K5C60cHZnzM/WeKPaxIViII/AAAAAAAAFmM/9NSH4fFyaIQ36TbIAeN2yMr_9iFl3e05wCLcBGAs/s400/18222545_10211199021484816_2262323656453439016_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kiddos enjoying their tea.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I stabbed my wide purple straw through the plastic covering of my tea and nervously took a sip. A bunch of "bubbles" came through the straw. Slowly I began to chew them, expecting them to taste like squid ink or something. The texture was definitely a little weird, but not horrible. It was a starchy texture. To be honest, they really didn't have much flavor to them at all. If anything their flavor reminded me of the little Japanese dough covered ice creams called Mochi.<br /><br />Turns out, I didn't mind the bubbles at all. The taste of the red date longan was just okay though. There was date pulp in the drink along with the bubbles and the flavor just wasn't sitting well with me. For whatever reason it did not dawn on me when I ordered my drink that red date longan was a type of date. Why did it not occur to me? I mean the word date was included in the name of the flavor right? Right. That will go down as one of the world's great mysteries along with all the other idiosyncrasies I have made in my lifetime.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BQImvXgeYO0/WeKP4vs4OzI/AAAAAAAAFmQ/EioJQlwWm1AYI8_DPskgUk3tvv3LE_VVACLcBGAs/s1600/18268408_10211199020844800_1642824882500250949_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BQImvXgeYO0/WeKP4vs4OzI/AAAAAAAAFmQ/EioJQlwWm1AYI8_DPskgUk3tvv3LE_VVACLcBGAs/s200/18268408_10211199020844800_1642824882500250949_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Anyways, I am not a big fan of&nbsp; dates. They aren't terrible or anything but I don't really prefer to eat them. My daughter allowed me to sample her vanilla bubble tea and I really enjoyed that flavor a lot more. It was really creamy and they definitely used some real vanilla bean in her Bubble tea. One of my most favorite flavors is vanilla with real vanilla bean. It's heavenly. I am also still curious about Taro. A good friend of mine highly recommends that flavor. She said it is her favorite. She has good taste so next time, I will definitely give Taro a try.<br /><br />In closing, Bubble tea is a fun drink that you have to sip slowly in order to avoid choking on the bubbles. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2DzSMEv0dw/WeKQLJaCD7I/AAAAAAAAFmU/AuDIgvE7FncrWH0mCvk1fCCpeJrlptqHQCLcBGAs/s1600/13095973_10208057463707835_8409213959273581234_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2DzSMEv0dw/WeKQLJaCD7I/AAAAAAAAFmU/AuDIgvE7FncrWH0mCvk1fCCpeJrlptqHQCLcBGAs/s400/13095973_10208057463707835_8409213959273581234_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-35985802424197441782017-10-04T15:52:00.000-07:002017-10-04T15:52:17.803-07:00#87 Be A VIP<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZPcbnYJGbs/WOgt9V3oIYI/AAAAAAAAE8A/NGByAlcFhmQFb311dO8Thtg5wZp0-8_WwCLcB/s1600/10513483_10203331830009946_393618575177556044_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZPcbnYJGbs/WOgt9V3oIYI/AAAAAAAAE8A/NGByAlcFhmQFb311dO8Thtg5wZp0-8_WwCLcB/s400/10513483_10203331830009946_393618575177556044_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bride and bridal party. Amazing ladies!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />One of my favorite ladies, Miss Jere, was getting married to her longtime love Chris, on July 4th, 2014. I had the honor of being a bridesmaid so I got to experience all of the festivities of this amazing wedding. Of course, one of the planned festivities was the Bachelorette Party. It was going to be held the Friday before the wedding. It was no ordinary bachelorette party though. The Maid of Honor, Sybil, wanted to make sure our bride, her bridal party and her best girlfriends got the VIP treatment.<br /><br />Let's just say, this amazing woman did one hell of a job making us all feel like princesses. I was left in complete awe not only of her thorough eye for detail but also her selfless generosity. This astonishing woman made sure we were taken care of the entire night. Seriously. From start to finish, she not only had every single detail covered but she gave Jere and us ladies an unforgettable night of excitement and cherished memories. <br /><br />She arranged all the cabs for transport to and from the hotel. She booked reservations for all of the places we were visiting. She decorated the hotel room. She had beverages, snacks and party favors for all of us to enjoy. She gifted us these fantastical hangover remedy kits which were so cute, cool and useful. She arranged for us to be VIPs at the Cell Block Dance Club for the night. She just blew my mind completely. Not one stone was left uncovered.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfHtiRk6g5U/WOguQyKByWI/AAAAAAAAE8E/wVGo1SAwzDMOgiVgEUdb80YYC2vdlPkBQCLcB/s1600/10494615_10203331746007846_3776488193373959780_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfHtiRk6g5U/WOguQyKByWI/AAAAAAAAE8E/wVGo1SAwzDMOgiVgEUdb80YYC2vdlPkBQCLcB/s320/10494615_10203331746007846_3776488193373959780_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The hilariously naughty goodies.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>We started our VIP experience at the hotel where we were staying for the night. We enjoyed some adult beverages complete with penis straws while noshing on some penis shaped chocolates. They were delicious I must say.<br /><br />We admired the penis shaped balloon display on the bed. Within an hour of posting that pic on my Facebook page, the picture was reported for being obscene. We had our fist scandal of the night ladies and gentlemen. ( FB eventually deemed it not obscene and let me keep my picture on display.)<br /><br />We all had a good chuckle over the Hangover Survival Kits. They contained all the necessities every gal needs for a night of clubbing and alcohol abuse. We were given a bottle of water, a multigrain bar, tums, ibuprofen, tissues, wet wipes, gum, tissues, hair ties, mouthwash and ear plugs. This was a genius gift that I loved very much. We all did.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G__8EubVJZQ/WOgubWigWaI/AAAAAAAAE8I/TJKwgsPbZncFoxfbm5qI8oeEinYrYX57gCLcB/s1600/10458013_10203331830169950_2644710485025578246_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G__8EubVJZQ/WOgubWigWaI/AAAAAAAAE8I/TJKwgsPbZncFoxfbm5qI8oeEinYrYX57gCLcB/s400/10458013_10203331830169950_2644710485025578246_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hangover Survival Kit! Brilliant!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />After we got all gussied up and ready to party, the cabs arrived to take us to the Bull Frog Brewery for dinner and cocktails. Our cabbies were really awesome. They took our pics while we posed like the classy chicks we were outside the Bull Frog. Once inside, we relished in the laughter, great conversations and savory buffalo chicken mac and cheese. This place was great. The food was delectable and the drinks were strong. The prices were also very appeasing as well. I would certainly recommend the Bull Frog Brewery to anyone.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a63mr1wExC8/WOguwsAddMI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/muW3EsUFCgc0jTriPPujvBzdx_AXqRjRgCLcB/s1600/10354160_10203331864770815_3914744033105841440_n%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a63mr1wExC8/WOguwsAddMI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/muW3EsUFCgc0jTriPPujvBzdx_AXqRjRgCLcB/s400/10354160_10203331864770815_3914744033105841440_n%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>What a send off for our bride. We had so much fun!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />After dinner, our party strolled around historic downtown Williamsport. The night was clear and beautiful. The temperature a perfect 72 degrees. Sybil mentioned that our cabbie pics were a hit on Facebook. People were already commenting about my rack and Jere's tanned long legs. Everyone loved how awesome we all looked. Not exactly scandalous but we were making a statement. We were sexy ladies, we knew it and we were flaunting it. We all need to feel that way once in awhile. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppWBVqI5C_s/WOgu3xLnlcI/AAAAAAAAE8U/v0ulhhw7ugcwh4i0rxQdUSo0cntQ7ElrwCLcB/s1600/10464014_10203331897931644_5506088142070642123_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppWBVqI5C_s/WOgu3xLnlcI/AAAAAAAAE8U/v0ulhhw7ugcwh4i0rxQdUSo0cntQ7ElrwCLcB/s200/10464014_10203331897931644_5506088142070642123_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Buffalo Mac and Cheese. Oooooh!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>We made our way over to the Brickyard Ale House. A band was playing in the street while the tables lining the walkway were filled with patrons enjoying the music and refreshing brews. This place was a beer lover's dream. Another very impressive place that I would recommend to anyone. We still had an hour to spare before heading to the Cell Block so we grabbed some oil and took our place along the bricks to enjoy the sounds.<br /><br />The band noticed Jere's "Bride To Be" getup and dedicated a song to her. " Keep Your Hands To Yourself" by Georgia Satellite. The whole crowd got a kick out of that. Jere was too cute out there dancing in the street. She was sporting the sash and crown Sybil got her but the buzz she was rocking was all Jere. It's not often a band takes it upon themselves to dedicate a song to you. Our girl enjoyed every single note of that song, She deserved too. She deserved a night like this. This sweet little moment made the night even more memorable.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zgs-DarIEU/WOgvDokyqaI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/qXs-nOCK6fIxJjiUNuxhw9yjjajvdqNqgCLcB/s1600/10446991_10203331932252502_6020772898059746883_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Zgs-DarIEU/WOgvDokyqaI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/qXs-nOCK6fIxJjiUNuxhw9yjjajvdqNqgCLcB/s320/10446991_10203331932252502_6020772898059746883_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Photobomb fun! Everyone there was having a great time.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCPVIz494Rg/WOgvI4VNqDI/AAAAAAAAE8c/NstDdTcWMcMkWARxj__iPGc_bhi_ePUOQCLcB/s1600/10485013_10203331932332504_8341297236858256925_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCPVIz494Rg/WOgvI4VNqDI/AAAAAAAAE8c/NstDdTcWMcMkWARxj__iPGc_bhi_ePUOQCLcB/s320/10485013_10203331932332504_8341297236858256925_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That's right girl! Own it!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As the sun began to set into the late June sky, we finished our drinks at the Brickyard and made our way to the Cell Block, formally known as the Lycoming County Jail. We were early. It was only a little after 9pm. The club didn't really get jumping until after ten. The first thing I noticed was an outdoor courtyard situated between a brick wall and an old stucco wall. It was decorated with cushioned lawn furniture, tables, heaters, torches and a bar. It was very cozy and inviting. I would so much be spending some time out here. It was too beautiful not to.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7y_8JksI3k/WOgvOHAQa7I/AAAAAAAAE8g/5NQwrjo-CEoxxxQf2h1duZEEpDXcTe0qACLcB/s1600/10474861_10203331984693813_2577767688712466332_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7y_8JksI3k/WOgvOHAQa7I/AAAAAAAAE8g/5NQwrjo-CEoxxxQf2h1duZEEpDXcTe0qACLcB/s400/10474861_10203331984693813_2577767688712466332_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cell Block</b></td></tr></tbody></table>I was already so very impressed with the Cell Block thus far and we had only been there like two seconds. We ascended the stairs into the giant, stone building/former county jail. Before us stretched a long brick corridor. It ran parallel to the empty dance floor, which was also very long and huge.<br /><br />The ceiling of the corridor was arched and alcoves lining the corridor displayed mug shots of famous criminals. Mobsters such as Al Capone, Walter Smith and William Morrish shared the wall with Hollywood criminals like Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan.<br /><br />The mobsters looked scary, the Hollywood elite, not so much. I tried to keep pace with the rest of the party but there was so much to check out. We were being shown to our VIP area. Like I mentioned earlier, Sybil had told us she booked the VIP package for Jere's Bachelorette Party. I was excited about this but I was not sure what to expect either. I figured maybe we would get a special table near the dance floor. That would be convenient. We would not have to worry about anyone stealing our seats. That alone had me excited.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzXI6O6DsHs/WOgvs35-ZCI/AAAAAAAAE8k/VtH-rjJv3q8i7XXreIQ1t3vdXrdr0UsBgCLcB/s1600/10347234_10203331984133799_5254786035729165939_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EzXI6O6DsHs/WOgvs35-ZCI/AAAAAAAAE8k/VtH-rjJv3q8i7XXreIQ1t3vdXrdr0UsBgCLcB/s320/10347234_10203331984133799_5254786035729165939_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our VIP Lounge!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Let's just say, I was way off about what our VIP experience at the Cell Block was going to entail. Way off! Our host led us to the end of the dance floor where a huge elevated lounge sat. Oh kids.......it's about to get real.<br /><br />Our host opened the red velvet rope, allowing us access to our VIP area. We had a red velvet rope people!! Red.Velvet.Rope. The only velvet ropes I have ever experienced were the ropes used at the bank to form a line to the tellers.<br /><br />It may not seem like a big deal to some but to me, this was outstanding! I got to hang behind the red velvet rope. It gets better though. The lounge was furnished with very comfortable black leather sofas and silky grey curtains. On the black wooden coffee table near the sofas sat a bucket filled with Moet chillin' on ice. Shut the Front Door! We were so much going to be popping bottles like a G6. I don't even really like champagne but you better believe I was going to drink some VIP champagne. Why wouldn't I?<br /><br />Our host then showed us to a private room off to the side of our VIP lounge. It was also furnished with a black leather sofa as well as an authentic jail cell which was on display behind glass. We were given two rules we had to abide to or else face banishment from the establishment.<br /><br />Rule #1: Do not try to break into the jail cell. It was for display only.<br />Rule #2: No having sex on the couch.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kFVUNs0xynU/WOgv0Ks8sOI/AAAAAAAAE8o/NBGSDsNp6DU5_YFpIVdv5dhCE5GNYgLygCLcB/s1600/10433905_10203331983053772_2915267035114549081_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kFVUNs0xynU/WOgv0Ks8sOI/AAAAAAAAE8o/NBGSDsNp6DU5_YFpIVdv5dhCE5GNYgLygCLcB/s400/10433905_10203331983053772_2915267035114549081_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A real jail cell.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Okay. Seemed fair. Our host then informed us that she was going to be our personal waitress for the entire night. She would get any and all drinks for us whenever we wanted. We had her permission to keep her running all night. She also stated that we were allowed two rounds of shots of our choice, on the house, as well as more bottles of champagne.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zSGzYQ7GcQw/WOgwIwL-lJI/AAAAAAAAE8w/H5rGsbWb8N0Err-jljc2GdlRGepajq65ACEw/s1600/10451166_10203332061455732_3457618162537518829_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zSGzYQ7GcQw/WOgwIwL-lJI/AAAAAAAAE8w/H5rGsbWb8N0Err-jljc2GdlRGepajq65ACEw/s320/10451166_10203332061455732_3457618162537518829_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chillin with the Moet!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>This was too much! And just when I could not be more impressed with this entire VIP experience, we had one more surprise. A big hulking man made his way over to the VIP lounge. He introduced himself as our personal bouncer for the evening. Say what??? He was there to open and close the velvet rope for us. He was there to prevent anyone from coming up into the lounge. He was there to make sure we were safe and comfortable.<br /><br />He did explain that there were going to be people, especially guys, asking to come up into the lounge with us. Unless we said otherwise, he was not permitting anyone without a VIP bracelet access to our lounge. He also stated that if we were trying to dance on the main floor and guys were bugging us to bring them up to the lounge, we were to notify him and he would warn the guys to not bother us or risk being removed from the establishment.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpVbKdrbUos/WOgv9QjCO3I/AAAAAAAAE8s/dfQL6Y3529AFVQPL9VpVY05tcYpgJL5jQCLcB/s1600/10463062_10203332066095848_7916273247034395590_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpVbKdrbUos/WOgv9QjCO3I/AAAAAAAAE8s/dfQL6Y3529AFVQPL9VpVY05tcYpgJL5jQCLcB/s400/10463062_10203332066095848_7916273247034395590_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our personal bouncer! Holla!!!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This was insane people!! Insane! I must admit, I was apprehensive about all of this. There was no way he was going to stay by our lounge for the next four hours. He was just sayin' that. He would disappear and we would never see him again. I was definitely wrong. He did stay the entire night. The only time he left was to take a break and when he left, another bouncer would come over to take his place. In fact, by the end of the night, we had two bouncers watching our lounge. It was wicked cool. And they totally opened and closed the ropes for us.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-00ZEEWKixkk/WOgyGTOcj-I/AAAAAAAAE9U/JOpP_XoYISgiK6690hDXVGJ6Q21Gfcu8ACLcB/s1600/10494603_10203332065535834_8564890221877107175_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-00ZEEWKixkk/WOgyGTOcj-I/AAAAAAAAE9U/JOpP_XoYISgiK6690hDXVGJ6Q21Gfcu8ACLcB/s320/10494603_10203332065535834_8564890221877107175_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cheers to us!!! VIPs! Salud!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>What an amazing night we were having being VIPs. We danced our hearts out. We drank too much. We laughed. Some of us passed out for a spell on the couches. There were definitely guys bugging to come up to the lounge with us like the bouncer had mentioned. In fact one group of guys was pestering us all so much that the bouncer came over to us, pointed to the guys and said they keep bugging to come up. Do you want them to come up?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />We all said no. The bouncer told the guys they were SOL and to leave us alone. We were there to have a good time for Jere's bachelorette. Most of the gals there had significant others. As for the few of us that didn't, we were old enough to understand that we weren't going to find the love of our life in any bar. The only thing we could possibly find would be five minutes of nothing special followed by days of regret and stress over such a bad decision. I was over that shit a long time ago.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJwwZWabadw/WOgxJjZKCYI/AAAAAAAAE9E/lqgNbOAxytQzarU1QR5D_IHkz9K7i3vFQCLcB/s1600/10441195_10203332196419106_814009445837242456_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJwwZWabadw/WOgxJjZKCYI/AAAAAAAAE9E/lqgNbOAxytQzarU1QR5D_IHkz9K7i3vFQCLcB/s320/10441195_10203332196419106_814009445837242456_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dancing Queens. We're so fancy!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Besides, we had our own dance party going on in our lounge. It was a total riot watching us all fall apart more and more with each drink we threw back. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. When we needed a breath of fresh air, we would visit the courtyard.<br /><br />Our waitress even came out there to deliver drinks to us. She was really fabulous. The courtyard was definitely more chill and laid back. The night air was the perfect remedy for over heating on the dance floor. The fresh air also made the buzz more potent.<br /><br />My head was spinning. I needed to calm myself but once I get on that train, it's hard to get off. The drinks start going down like water but you don't realize you're drowning until 4 or 5 drinks past your limit. When it hits you, it hits you like a freight train. By 1:30 am, I was finally waving the red flag.<br /><br />My feet were screaming. I was dripping with sweat. My speech was slurred and my stagger was wild. I plopped down into the comfy leather couch and allowed it to envelop me. So this is what it feels like to be a Rap God, a Rock Superstar. I finally get what Cypress Hill and 50 Cents were putting down. I've "Gone Sovereign" as Corey Taylor would say. This is mine!!!!!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbkPSRGvUyE/WOgx-uqRraI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/zlRd-rmmVqQLp69OM293i1lb3Hn0bFsVwCLcB/s1600/10491232_10203332159378180_324996341968848804_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbkPSRGvUyE/WOgx-uqRraI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/zlRd-rmmVqQLp69OM293i1lb3Hn0bFsVwCLcB/s400/10491232_10203332159378180_324996341968848804_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>What a great group of ladies. We had so much fun! I love them all.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Our bride to be Jere was having the time of her life. She smiled the entire night. That was the most important thing. She was our queen and we were her court. She was the #1 VIP. This could not have been a more fabulous night. I remember thanking Sybil several times for everything she had done. I told her she missed her calling as a party planner. She did a beautiful job with Jere's shower and this VIP bachelorette party was the bomb. She was the ultimate maid of honor. She also genuinely cared that we were all happy. It was awesome to see her let loose too. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0yj8KvtWxgA/WOgxv4JwgQI/AAAAAAAAE9M/nVSxnDIS8nQyCs986_hhgKtO4ytuAUZdACLcB/s1600/10156176_10203332205819341_7947750327928111317_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0yj8KvtWxgA/WOgxv4JwgQI/AAAAAAAAE9M/nVSxnDIS8nQyCs986_hhgKtO4ytuAUZdACLcB/s320/10156176_10203332205819341_7947750327928111317_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>7 inch heels and a blow up male appendage. What more could you ask for?</b></td></tr></tbody></table>In closing, after saying goodnight to the beautiful bride I laid down in the comfortable hotel bed. I love hotel beds. I always get the best sleep in them. My thoughts drifted. I thought about the entire day and how wonderful it was. We got to be VIPs for real in a club. No it was not some fancy NYC Club where famous celebs loom behind the velvet rope but it was outstanding nonetheless.<br /><br />As my eyes got heavy and my breathing relaxed, I thanked the good lord for blessing me with so many amazing people in my life. They are the real VIPs, all day, every day. I would gladly open the velvet rope for my nearest and dearest any day because I honestly don't know how I would have made it this far without them.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wNsOvH7SyMA/WOg0kwjOqMI/AAAAAAAAE9g/tuztgrULrGQgjx4lx0g0m3jOJCDlo31OgCLcB/s1600/10498326_10203331804449307_5437710581710022105_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wNsOvH7SyMA/WOg0kwjOqMI/AAAAAAAAE9g/tuztgrULrGQgjx4lx0g0m3jOJCDlo31OgCLcB/s400/10498326_10203331804449307_5437710581710022105_o.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-33167553800338753662017-09-28T16:41:00.000-07:002017-09-28T16:47:17.457-07:00#7 Do A Couple of Laps Around A Race Track at Full SpeedWhen I turned 30, as a present, I got to do something pretty adventurous to ring in the upcoming 4th decade of my life. That present was the Stock Car Experience. I was going to have an opportunity to experience what it felt like for NASCAR drivers when they raced around the track at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. How freakin' cool was that? It was way cool, that's how cool it was.<br /><br />At the time, I was still a huge NASCAR fan and was so ecstatic to have a chance to ride in a real stock car. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32CriTUFAAo/WOg25GttQlI/AAAAAAAAE9s/STVTWUjpDoMfJ7cb0HG7t8xpQA8zYmjYgCLcB/s1600/17522673_10210948296176840_7064168549080684864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32CriTUFAAo/WOg25GttQlI/AAAAAAAAE9s/STVTWUjpDoMfJ7cb0HG7t8xpQA8zYmjYgCLcB/s320/17522673_10210948296176840_7064168549080684864_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Used to be a huge Mayfield fan! Everham Racing.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Before I get to my experience though, here is a little rundown of the Pocono track. Pocono Raceway is 2.5 mile superspeedway with the unique characteristic of having 3 turns rather that the typical 4 turns at most speedways. It has also been called a road course disguised as a racetrack by many racers who have graced the asphalt at Pocono. This is contributed to the difficult degrees of banking on each of the different turns as well as the amount of shifting needed to drive the speedway. In other words, It's not the easiest raceway to drive. <br /><br />Pocono Raceway has a reputation in the racing world as either being loved or hated among racers. Most believe the love/hate relationship with racers is attributed to each individual racer's style, course experiences and preferences. None of that mattered to me though since I would not be driving the track. ( I have driven on part of the track before but, it was with my Pontiac 6000 and I was finishing the overnight shift of guarding Gasoline Alley during race weekend. That's for another blog though.) <br /><br />Back to this experience, I was not going to be driving so you can all breath a sigh of relief. And, after having this experience, I also know there is no way in hell I could ever drive a race car. I am well aware of my limitations but, I'll get to that later. For this experience, a professional race car driver was going to take me for 3 laps around the raceway at speeds of up to 175mph. Holy fast car batman. Maybe I should wear a diaper for this experience. ( I did not. I was able to control myself. It was all good.)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9EwRK7ipSM/WOg3Lpm9jiI/AAAAAAAAE9w/dTnTEHZijFoKtvFv2Z2gv9ZUuNp-0cJQwCLcB/s1600/17757435_10210948296376845_522418916773797838_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9EwRK7ipSM/WOg3Lpm9jiI/AAAAAAAAE9w/dTnTEHZijFoKtvFv2Z2gv9ZUuNp-0cJQwCLcB/s320/17757435_10210948296376845_522418916773797838_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Me getting ready to shake, rattle and roll in Long Pond.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Before showing up at the track for my ride, I had to register a date and time for my stock car experience. I chose the first Saturday in October 2003 for my experience. I also had to give my weight and height (for safety reasons.). FML! I always hated giving my weight and was not above lying about it my entire life but, in this instance, I couldn't lie about it since it was for safety purposes. Didn't want to risk a possible injury over my reluctance to reveal my true weight to complete strangers. I sucked it up and wrote my weight down. That hurt. <br /><br />I was a little nervous but super excited. This was what living life was all about! When that Saturday rolled along, the weather was typical for an autumn day in the Poconos. The air was chilly and breezy. The sky was gray but thankfully it was not raining. We arrived at Pocono for my 10:30 am car ride a little early. We were lead to pit row where I was assigned to race car #6. Mark Martin immediately popped in my head. I liked him. He was a great driver and a cool guy. I was totally down to ride in #6.<br /><br />The staff fitted me for a helmet, explained the rules and had me sign a waiver. They pointed out that my driver was taking another person for a ride, then he would be over to pick me up. I clutched onto my helmet nervously as I watched the race cars pull in and out of pit road. There were quite a few people here. I wasn't expecting that. It wasn't a bad thing, just unexpected. Several race cars were racing around the track while some driving school students were getting lessons on Pit Road. The sounds of the revved up engines circling the track was music to my ears. I always loved that sound. Fast and loud! Rev it up!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--B0_95SqASI/WOg3Tjp-JYI/AAAAAAAAE90/QShCFLBV_T4Ys5AIP8ETwwg6fZ7Ey6sywCLcB/s1600/17760139_10210948293656777_8332255538643350871_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--B0_95SqASI/WOg3Tjp-JYI/AAAAAAAAE90/QShCFLBV_T4Ys5AIP8ETwwg6fZ7Ey6sywCLcB/s400/17760139_10210948293656777_8332255538643350871_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Dork is strong in this one.&nbsp; Me not knowing what the hell I was doing.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>The #6 car pulled into Pit Row. My guide came over and walked me to the car. He informed that he would help me get into the car. I looked at him dumbfounded for a moment. Of course a bell rang in my head when it dawned on me that there would be a strong chance I would need assistance getting into the car. Stock cars don't have doors genius. You have to climb into them via the window. These short legs were going to struggle to do that. Of course, I wanted to try and do it without assistance first.<br /><br />The net on the passenger side of the car was unhooked for me. My first error was trying to climb into the car while wearing my helmet. The guide strongly urged me to not wear the helmet until I got into the car. My second error was throwing the helmet onto the seat before entering the car. Yea, it was tight in there. That was not going to work either. Thankfully my driver not only had experience in racing cars but also had experience in dealing with complete morons. He grabbed my helmet off the seat so I could climb in.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dKsZ0RUlKPg/WOg3d0saNOI/AAAAAAAAE94/9g-AEimj_541mgAacF861NGaPhXynXAhQCLcB/s1600/17795910_10210948295696828_3038879843682268533_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dKsZ0RUlKPg/WOg3d0saNOI/AAAAAAAAE94/9g-AEimj_541mgAacF861NGaPhXynXAhQCLcB/s320/17795910_10210948295696828_3038879843682268533_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>3 hours later.......I am in the car. God Bless America!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>He also got to witness the train wreck of me climbing into the race car. While I did not kick him or anything, it certainly was by no means a graceful or smooth entry into the passenger seat. There was a well defined struggle trying to hoist both my legs into the car without falling awkwardly half in and half out of the car.<br /><br />The guide was walking back over to assist me, probably because he wanted to save me the one ounce of dignity I had left, but somehow I managed to get in without pulling all the muscles in my body. I only pulled about half of them. Fortunately the excitement and adrenaline pulsing through my veins masked the pain but trust me, I would feel it later. ( I swear I should have bought stock in Motrin with the way I injure myself.)<br /><br />Once I was in my seat, I noticed immediately that it really was super tight in there. The seat was molded almost completely to my body. After I put my helmet on and rested my head against the seat, which was cradled by a neck support, my guide buckled me in. My mobility was pretty much non existent as of that moment. Naturally my thoughts went to the race car drivers. How the heck do they drive these cars at high rates of speed while being glued into their chair?&nbsp; How do they maneuver? How the heck does Jimmy Spencer or someone super tall like Bill Elliot even fit into these cars? They obviously had crazy mad skills.<br /><br />My driver asked me if I was ready to go and I gave him the thumbs up. He asked me how fast I wanted to go. I told him as fast as he was allowed to drive. We slowly began taking off down the straightaway towards turn one. Then he revved the engine, shifted gears and stepped on the gas. The sound of the engine from inside the car gave me chills. The rest of the ride was just insane. The car was shaking, the view out the windshield was blurry and the grin on my face was so big it hurt.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vMYfoKgCtRI/WOg3l7FMXtI/AAAAAAAAE98/PVz0YYhoqRIb2MfpG2FMDa1rSSzgo3EpACLcB/s1600/17799231_10210948296656852_8338267537798433330_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vMYfoKgCtRI/WOg3l7FMXtI/AAAAAAAAE98/PVz0YYhoqRIb2MfpG2FMDa1rSSzgo3EpACLcB/s320/17799231_10210948296656852_8338267537798433330_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>And we are off.......</b></td></tr></tbody></table>The driver yelled out the speeds as we hit turns and straightaways. Shakily, I would occasionally glance at the speedometer. I saw it hit 175. Madone! This was crazy. I started laughing insanely with complete joy and amusement. In the back of my mind I was also wondering how the hell the race car drivers were able to drive at these speeds and make the maneuvers and passes that they did.<br /><br />Being a spotter in NASCAR must have so much pressure attached to it. They are literally the eyes of the race car drivers, telling them when to pass, where to move on the track and what cars to avoid. A huge wave of respect and admiration for these drivers and their crews washed over me. This was a dangerous sport indeed.<br /><br />But, I can also see how it could be so addicting for a driver. The rush was wicked. I also realized that there was no way I could ever safely drive a car at this speed. Even with training, I would never trust myself. And with anything, there are different types of fears. Some of those fears are rooted more in anxiety while some of those fears are rooted more in capability and the trust you have in yourself. If you are honestly afraid you are not capable of safely accomplishing something, don't do it.<br /><br />I'm all for living on the edge, trying new things and having outrageous adventures, but I also want to survive them. Some people have a natural affinity or natural skills for certain things, some people acquire them from years of practice and some people just are not meant for certain things. I am not saying this in a negative way, I am just saying there are so many things out there to experience and try. Know your capabilities but also know your limitations.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPhAxa7G4PY/WOg3rsxnC5I/AAAAAAAAE-A/mCj09eb9ocAnjdLHqlvujWyoWI1ff2OIgCLcB/s1600/17759749_10210948296696853_3422218397242849920_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPhAxa7G4PY/WOg3rsxnC5I/AAAAAAAAE-A/mCj09eb9ocAnjdLHqlvujWyoWI1ff2OIgCLcB/s400/17759749_10210948296696853_3422218397242849920_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That's me in the car going 50 million miles per hour.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />But enough lecturing. I may not trust myself to drive an actual race car at a high rate of speed but I still got to experience a race car at a high rate of speed. See? It's all about perspective. And to this day, the stock car experience is still one of the coolest, most exciting things I have ever had the opportunity to experience. It was a total blast and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a safe but adventurous adrenaline rush. One other thing, I think the price was well worth the experience.<br /><br />Gentlemen, start your engines!!!! Let's go!!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://877stockcar.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Stock Car Racing Experience @ Pocono Raceway</span></span></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CIXX7sZb73o/WOg4ApnlPkI/AAAAAAAAE-E/FiboRP_AFuoT3xf-ni-iGNJgmAePHLFYQCLcB/s1600/nnjj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CIXX7sZb73o/WOg4ApnlPkI/AAAAAAAAE-E/FiboRP_AFuoT3xf-ni-iGNJgmAePHLFYQCLcB/s400/nnjj.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-52256146622224013112017-09-19T15:21:00.000-07:002017-09-19T15:29:57.369-07:00#156 Try Deep Fried AlligatorLast summer my daughter and I went on a road trip. We didn't go far. We drove a few towns over and visited Centrailia and Knoebel's Grove. Okay, so we were searching for Pokemon and Knoebel's had tons of monuments. We were hoping to hit the mother lode of pokeballs and maybe catch some rare Pokemon in the process. Whatever. We all have our guilty pleasures. I only played the game for a short time but had a lot of fun doing so.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-99dfQMMU_Tw/WM3ueUfnKxI/AAAAAAAAEz4/5FLruverBeoCOs5QzmX--vziDgtO87XfQCLcB/s1600/13716179_10208606378030350_1313921680335768686_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-99dfQMMU_Tw/WM3ueUfnKxI/AAAAAAAAEz4/5FLruverBeoCOs5QzmX--vziDgtO87XfQCLcB/s400/13716179_10208606378030350_1313921680335768686_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Knoebel's Bridge</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyway, little did I know in my quest to find Pokemon that I would also have an opportunity to accomplish another item on my Bucket List. While walking around Knoebel's feeling very frustrated because the Pokemon server was down, we decided to have lunch. Knoebel's has an international cafe near the Phoenix roller coaster with some very good food. As we made our way over, I noticed a big green Alligator sign. There was an opening where you could stick your head through to take a picture. Above the opening were the words "Gator Bites".<br /><br />GTFO!! I did not know Knoebel's offered Alligator Bites. Then again, it had probably been about&nbsp; 6-7 years since I had last visited Knoebel's. My decision was made. I was so much going to order Alligator Bites. My daughter was not nearly as excited as I was for the opportunity to try Alligator and decided to order Mexican instead. She headed over to the Mexico counter while I headed towards the World counter.<br /><br />While standing in line at the World Cuisine counter waiting for my turn to order, I noticed a food item for sale called Zombie Fries. Whoa! I love Zombies and I love fries. I felt very strongly that Zombie Fries would be the perfect companion for my Gator Bites. I placed my order for bites and fries, grabbed my receipt and found a table. Patiently, I waited for my number to be called. As soon as I heard it, I jumped up with excitement. As I retrieved my tray, I examined the bites closely. They were really dark brown. They looked a little burnt to be honest. Oh well. Maybe they are supposed to be cooked that way.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2bNqgms53Y4/WM3ukiyXUQI/AAAAAAAAEz8/d_MU_L7V_CsMVP0OsIKG-vC0ejBXo5aAQCLcB/s1600/13731700_10208604238056852_8481391305009005296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Knoebels" border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2bNqgms53Y4/WM3ukiyXUQI/AAAAAAAAEz8/d_MU_L7V_CsMVP0OsIKG-vC0ejBXo5aAQCLcB/s640/13731700_10208604238056852_8481391305009005296_n.jpg" title="Alligator Bites" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alligator Bites and Zombie Fries</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Nervously I brought the first alligator bite to my mouth. I took a bite, apprehensive about the flavor. As I began chewing, the texture struck me as that of lobster or shrimp. As for the taste, everyone who has tried alligator has always stated that it tastes just like chicken, and it does, to an extent. They definitely did not have a fishy flavor to them, but the chicken flavor was very mild. To be honest, they didn't have much flavor at all. The only flavor I was really pulling from the bites was from the breading.<br /><br />I struggled to eat them. Not because they tasted bad. They did not. I struggled because they were playing tricks on my mind. My brain did not know how to process alligator. Here was this food with the texture of a lobster but the flavor of bread crumbs and chicken. It was kind of trippy. I started dipping the alligator bites in ranch dressing hoping it would help my brain digest this food. The ranch helped a little but I was still tripping out.<br /><br />I managed to eat maybe four or five bites before my stomach said enough. This rarely happens to me but once in awhile I will try something that just messes with my head too much and my stomach decides it wants nothing more to do with it. This happened years ago when I tried the Thai dish, Pad See Aew. It tasted good but my brain told my stomach to get nauseous because the flavor and the texture were too freaky to comprehend.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irg3n3yrx8w/WM3vWntbvDI/AAAAAAAAE0I/zxB_sRApJ2sttMw0n3k4lG5aFczR2CyOACLcB/s1600/13709841_10208606376830320_5950718050990381800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irg3n3yrx8w/WM3vWntbvDI/AAAAAAAAE0I/zxB_sRApJ2sttMw0n3k4lG5aFczR2CyOACLcB/s400/13709841_10208606376830320_5950718050990381800_n.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>I took some solace in my Zombie Fries. They were fantastic. Battered, deep fried strips of onions and jalapenos were definitely not trippy to me. They were amazing! They also came with the bloomin' onion dip that I love so much. After I felt satiated and my daughter finished her meal, we headed back out in search of pokemon. Unfortunately the server was still down. Zoinks! I was not gonna catch them all, after all.<br /><br />In closing, I will probably pass on trying alligator ever again. I promise, they are not awful, they are just weird. Also, this experience will not deter me from trying new cuisines. I have a broad and adventurous palette. I am always discovering new foods and fusions that I absolutely adore. Sometimes a food I am not too fond of becomes magical when combined with other ingredients. It's all about taking chances and in the food arena, I am always down!<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica neue&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">&nbsp;Chrissy</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HKOM6p6GbGE/WM3uU7WrbII/AAAAAAAAEz0/vdWx9a1e2EcgeLnleh9nrfYA4kTY8lYJgCLcB/s1600/13754639_10208606376510312_3367558328397055991_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HKOM6p6GbGE/WM3uU7WrbII/AAAAAAAAEz0/vdWx9a1e2EcgeLnleh9nrfYA4kTY8lYJgCLcB/s400/13754639_10208606376510312_3367558328397055991_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-10394734532110366602017-08-20T16:06:00.000-07:002017-11-04T19:01:36.701-07:00#21 Take A Road Trip Through The Florida KeysSo, unlike my blog about driving the Overseas Highway, this blog is dedicated to all the Keys we visited during our adventure. This is my final post in the Florida Keys Chronicles. It was pretty awesome to have crossed so many things off my Bucket List on this trip. Unfortunately I was not able to cross snorkeling off my list this trip, but I will accomplish this feat one day. Hopefully, it will be accomplished in the Keys.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WleiQzsS0k/WZnsPtXenWI/AAAAAAAAFlU/aQ62uPVwmkA71cLigCC7hhplxW6_w9AGgCLcBGAs/s1600/18402600_10211260867510928_3170585988307976150_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WleiQzsS0k/WZnsPtXenWI/AAAAAAAAFlU/aQ62uPVwmkA71cLigCC7hhplxW6_w9AGgCLcBGAs/s320/18402600_10211260867510928_3170585988307976150_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mystical Mermaid. Beautiful shop!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This trip also inspired me to add a few more goals to my Bucket List. We were in Florida for 5 days. Our first day was dedicated mostly&nbsp;to flying, being delayed and driving. So, we really only had 4 days to explore. It was not nearly enough time to see and do everything. I also wanted to make sure we had genuine relaxation time on this vacation. I have found that to be important.<br /><br />My daughter had just graduated Penn State. My son was coming off another tough and hectic semester at Penn State. Me, well I work full time, I'm a single parent and I am a grown up. LOL! Do I need any other excuse for wanting to step away from a stressful, hectic life full of bills, curve balls and responsibilities? No. I do not.<br /><br />Besides, what I did learn on this trip is that the visiting the Florida Keys is a reasonable trip I can take again. When we visit places like Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, even Hawaii and Alaska, of course we are going to want to jam pack as much as possible into these trips. Most trips of these type are once in a lifetime trips to many people. Why? It's more difficult to venture to a foreign country or far away place. There are different laws, customs and requirements involved in visiting another country. Not to mention, a lot of these places are rather expensive to visit.<br /><br />Flying between European countries is affordable. Actually it is ridiculously cheap. However, flying from the US to a starting point on another continent, yea, not so cheap. It's not impossible to find a cheap flight but you also cannot be picky about the time of year you are visiting. Can you tell a trip to Europe is weighing heavily in my mind? Actually two trips to Europe are weighing heavily on my mind. Anyways, when on a once in a lifetime vacation, we do want to see and experience as much as possible because for a lot of us, that will be our only trip there. So, relaxation often times takes a back seat on these trips. It's understandable though.<br /><br />Enough talk of Europe though, let's get back to the 1700 islands archipelago that is the Florida Keys. Granted, most of the islands are not habitable. Some of them used to be habitable, like the Dry Tortugas Islands, but storms and tide shifts submerged some of the islands back under water like Southwest Key and Bird Key. Also, some of the islands are private such as Shark Key and some are only accessible by boat or plane such as Sunset Key. Some Keys are available for purchase as private islands.<br /><br />Dolphin Jump Key near Marathon was recently purchased by some lucky person with a few mil to spare. Pumpkin Key near Big Pine Key is on the market. For a mere $95 million you could buy your own private island. Not all islands are that pricey though. On the lower end of the scale, Quiet Cove Key, off the coast of Marathon, is available for just under a million smackers. &nbsp;This is good info to know for that day when I hit the Powerball. I will nickname my island Chrissy Key. I will also have to invest in some boating lessons as well.<br /><br />Enough dreaming though. Let's get on to the Keys my kiddos and I visited.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-61gEUAKrEro/WZm1KqPnC4I/AAAAAAAAFf8/0TaahYq0R2gIFlqUhe8e7HCCMuf3T757ACLcBGAs/s1600/18342381_10211245230960024_1650013968527142441_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-61gEUAKrEro/WZm1KqPnC4I/AAAAAAAAFf8/0TaahYq0R2gIFlqUhe8e7HCCMuf3T757ACLcBGAs/s320/18342381_10211245230960024_1650013968527142441_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son chillin'. The Queen in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #741b47;"><u>KEY LARGO</u></span></b><br />I wrote about Key Largo in a separate blog since it was a stand alone Bucket List goal for me. You can read about Key Largo <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/08/475-visit-key-largo.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I will share my favorite picture from my adventures on Key Largo.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><u>TAVERNIER</u></span></b><br />We stopped at a McDonald's in Tavernier. Hahahaha. Fancy I know. Not gonna lie, I am usually anti fast food on vacation unless it is a fast food joint we have never tried before or do not get the chance to enjoy very often. Like if there was a Bojangles chicken joint down there, we would have so much stopped. I love their chicken. There was not though. The reason I stopped at this McDonald's was because I was thirsty and did not want to pay $3.00 for a bottle of soda out of a vending machine or at a quick mart.<br /><br />I was so happy to see they were offering all Large drinks for $1 here like they were back home. Sometimes the McDonald's in touristy spots, like the Wildwood boards, have higher prices and do not follow franchise specials. It was nice to know I could get cheap drinks in the Keys. I felt a little relieved because I had a go to place if necessary. LOL!<br /><br /><b>ISLAMORADA KEYS </b>- These keys are part of Islamorada, Village of Islands.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YSrVp44p9AM/WZm1fiRPaUI/AAAAAAAAFgA/iYlSM5pDX6MJDgTVIS-DELPfaHsPHIZQACLcBGAs/s1600/18446715_10211276654345589_6500891822369426901_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Creekside Inn" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YSrVp44p9AM/WZm1fiRPaUI/AAAAAAAAFgA/iYlSM5pDX6MJDgTVIS-DELPfaHsPHIZQACLcBGAs/s320/18446715_10211276654345589_6500891822369426901_n.jpg" title="Creekside Inn" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Creekside Inn. Lovely place. &nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #4c1130;"><u>PLANTATION KEY</u></span></b><br />We stayed at the Creekside Inn, which is situated in Islamorada between Tavernier and Plantation Key. This hotel was very pretty and very clean. They had two pools, a restaurant and docking for fishing boats. We were fortunate to stay in a room facing the canal. My daughter and I spotted a momma and baby manatee swimming along the canal. We also got to watch schools of fish swirling around in weird circles in the water as well as a large iguana exploring the patio of a house across the canal.<br /><br />A few guys that must have been fishing all day had their boat docked at the hotel along the canal. They were cleaning and filleting their daily catch at one of the bait and cleaning stations the hotel provided. ( I think that is very awesome.) I was sitting on the Adirondack chairs near the bait station observing the sites along the canal. Much to my amusement, a very persistent egret kept trying to sneak up on the guys cleaning their fish a few feet away. I think this egret was looking to steal one of their fish. It was hilarious. He thought he was being so sneaky.<br /><br />I went back later that night to sit and watch a gorgeous sunset over the canal of Tavernier Creek. It was the forth sunset in a row where I was able to relax and witness the sun going to sleep. My first was while flying in the plane over North Carolina. My second was the sunset at <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/129-watch-sun-set-and-rise-in-one-day.html" target="_blank">Mallory Square </a>in Key West. My third sunset was on the beach while enjoying a drink from the tiki bar on Sugarloaf Key. It is small moments like this that make it all good in my world.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This sneaky egret trying to steal fish. It was hilarious watching him try to sneak around.&nbsp;</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_1e_tEYfIs/WZnkLDWY-BI/AAAAAAAAFjY/j5N4DK5hB4IgIPwM4PZxlSrLSO5zloUzgCLcBGAs/s1600/18403500_10211291192349030_4063909781648880933_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_1e_tEYfIs/WZnkLDWY-BI/AAAAAAAAFjY/j5N4DK5hB4IgIPwM4PZxlSrLSO5zloUzgCLcBGAs/s320/18403500_10211291192349030_4063909781648880933_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1p2HP-jFRE/WZnkPCuVa6I/AAAAAAAAFjc/VscxhHa8XV4z9uNmtLvJdmACPFlSbjwtwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403034_10211291193109049_3018696936173397905_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1p2HP-jFRE/WZnkPCuVa6I/AAAAAAAAFjc/VscxhHa8XV4z9uNmtLvJdmACPFlSbjwtwCLcBGAs/s320/18403034_10211291193109049_3018696936173397905_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mt3PyfZfjcA/WZm2eF6FerI/AAAAAAAAFgI/7y5ym1j1MDQ3U-Hq-ebupxUgbEUWvznKQCLcBGAs/s1600/18010314_10211276665305863_6697581307349009167_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Creekside Inn" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mt3PyfZfjcA/WZm2eF6FerI/AAAAAAAAFgI/7y5ym1j1MDQ3U-Hq-ebupxUgbEUWvznKQCLcBGAs/s400/18010314_10211276665305863_6697581307349009167_n.jpg" title="Creekside Inn" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The pools were so nice!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZ_VLWIFJrQ/WZm2jMw7pCI/AAAAAAAAFgM/RB-IDb39fwctOTKg7L9sTYCQTLyFT2x5gCLcBGAs/s1600/18301637_10211260867750934_3965857855261887332_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Creekside Inn" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZ_VLWIFJrQ/WZm2jMw7pCI/AAAAAAAAFgM/RB-IDb39fwctOTKg7L9sTYCQTLyFT2x5gCLcBGAs/s400/18301637_10211260867750934_3965857855261887332_n.jpg" title="Creekside Inn" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gorgeous clean room.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6E96nhHwIk/WZm21sPkODI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/5H8ZTnvMUFQsny7UQxFC8AHgwRtSQ-t5QCLcBGAs/s1600/18403748_10211276656385640_4015696293537749808_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="950" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6E96nhHwIk/WZm21sPkODI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/5H8ZTnvMUFQsny7UQxFC8AHgwRtSQ-t5QCLcBGAs/s400/18403748_10211276656385640_4015696293537749808_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A creek side mansion.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9UQp7Qocx28/WZm3soUYNQI/AAAAAAAAFgU/JYNAyZ57lRUbV73stpO2FAz4H9-v3TaFgCLcBGAs/s1600/19510498_10211690335487359_7312643561484503654_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9UQp7Qocx28/WZm3soUYNQI/AAAAAAAAFgU/JYNAyZ57lRUbV73stpO2FAz4H9-v3TaFgCLcBGAs/s400/19510498_10211690335487359_7312643561484503654_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This big guy was exploring the mansion grounds.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-my_QUypoyCk/WZm32BCjcRI/AAAAAAAAFgY/xAcSGdMHVOcUcq8x8kdqTkrBepFM71YvgCLcBGAs/s1600/18423851_10211275784803851_2975541577175935391_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-my_QUypoyCk/WZm32BCjcRI/AAAAAAAAFgY/xAcSGdMHVOcUcq8x8kdqTkrBepFM71YvgCLcBGAs/s400/18423851_10211275784803851_2975541577175935391_n.jpg" title="Manatees" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Manatees swimming in the canal. So amazing. That scar is from the propeller of a boat. :(</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />A really cool attraction we visited on Plantation Key in Islamorada was the Rain Barrel Artisan Village. You can't miss this colorful Art Village when driving down the Overseas Highway. Mostly you can't miss it because there is a 30ft high, 40ft long lobster named Betsey in front of the Village. She is ginormous! She is also very friendly. Not once did she try to pinch us with her giant lobster claws. I must say, she is also pretty photogenic too. She just stood their letting everyone snap hundreds of pictures of her. Not once did she complain.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EnKvEFC4od0/WZm5zmrnJtI/AAAAAAAAFgk/n0EYPULFuHA8QUEL8NwAJBYcjubR5RMQwCLcBGAs/s1600/18275250_10211241005054379_7748620927048122509_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rain Barrel Artisan Village" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EnKvEFC4od0/WZm5zmrnJtI/AAAAAAAAFgk/n0EYPULFuHA8QUEL8NwAJBYcjubR5RMQwCLcBGAs/s320/18275250_10211241005054379_7748620927048122509_n.jpg" title="Betsey the lobster." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Betsey guarding the Overseas Highway</b></td></tr></tbody></table>And after the initial shock and amusement of seeing the world's largest lobster sculpture wears off, you can walk inside the weathered, wooden shingled main store to check out vibrant metal sculptures of geckos, crabs, fish, turtles and seahorses. The sculpture garden next to the main building was so cool and colorful.<br /><br />There were hundreds upon hundreds of metal sculptures, lawn ornaments and mosaic planters scattered about. We experienced our first lizard "in the wild" sighting in this garden. A salamander was posing on a ceramic pot. I think it was a salamander. Maybe it was a gecko. I am not very versed in the lizard species but I seriously could not get over how photogenic all the creatures were here.<br /><br />After exploring the main building and garden, you could journey out back to a shaded courtyard where more stores offered crafts such as clay pottery, sea glass artwork, wooden wind chimes, beaded jewelry, watercolor paintings, Caribbean clothing and just about every other craft know to man. The village also had a tropical food shack that offered quintessential Florida Keys cuisine such as key lime pie, lobster rolls and Cuban Cafe con Leche. We made a special trip back to this shanty on our last day for a delicious, smooth Cuban coffee.<br /><br />I definitely enjoyed The Rain Barrel Artisan Village. It was very quaint, quirky and pretty. It is a very good example of Florida Keys culture and a nice spot to pick up a few souvenirs to bring home. The inspiration for creating my own beach garden came from visiting the Rain Barrel. I wanted to bring the Florida Keys back to Pennsylvania, and the Rain Barrel was, in my opinion, the perfect blend of Florida Keys life. In fact, the little green metal gecko chillin in my yard was purchased at the Rain Barrel.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Scenes from The Rain Barrel. This place captured the personality of the Keys wonderfully.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0IZwRWuJ8o/WZm61sHfiAI/AAAAAAAAFg8/pVI3EiNkfXAyl8zydEQ6Tdhzrxf-Y4FMwCLcBGAs/s1600/18402999_10211245235160129_7517457152696055122_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0IZwRWuJ8o/WZm61sHfiAI/AAAAAAAAFg8/pVI3EiNkfXAyl8zydEQ6Tdhzrxf-Y4FMwCLcBGAs/s400/18402999_10211245235160129_7517457152696055122_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDJ1FDkBi44/WZm6TmPFdgI/AAAAAAAAFgs/bdlqWGnf6nc4tb62Mm9-F_Dkib3q5MwyQCLcBGAs/s1600/18274909_10211245242840321_8002767767683473152_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDJ1FDkBi44/WZm6TmPFdgI/AAAAAAAAFgs/bdlqWGnf6nc4tb62Mm9-F_Dkib3q5MwyQCLcBGAs/s400/18274909_10211245242840321_8002767767683473152_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RrC6dCc0Rcw/WZm6aghvlqI/AAAAAAAAFgw/MlCsQRAj7g08n28KCjiGpF1UmPGNhS3zQCLcBGAs/s1600/18403211_10211276672866052_7410794678331788974_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RrC6dCc0Rcw/WZm6aghvlqI/AAAAAAAAFgw/MlCsQRAj7g08n28KCjiGpF1UmPGNhS3zQCLcBGAs/s400/18403211_10211276672866052_7410794678331788974_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D1WYbFheNro/WZm6rFTcGHI/AAAAAAAAFg4/VywdLlD_sOQevA7OtW-9ar9ohOJs6DyZQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402906_10211245240560264_5829139895381600864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D1WYbFheNro/WZm6rFTcGHI/AAAAAAAAFg4/VywdLlD_sOQevA7OtW-9ar9ohOJs6DyZQCLcBGAs/s400/18402906_10211245240560264_5829139895381600864_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BayZkF7rRuM/WZm6_2bqGZI/AAAAAAAAFhA/QRGmRWz7_wcogdFNxRvLLjHQldcST1gOwCLcBGAs/s1600/18300948_10211245235680142_5469498056523830580_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BayZkF7rRuM/WZm6_2bqGZI/AAAAAAAAFhA/QRGmRWz7_wcogdFNxRvLLjHQldcST1gOwCLcBGAs/s320/18300948_10211245235680142_5469498056523830580_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJZvLGHRNYI/WZm7ex1c1wI/AAAAAAAAFhM/H_nGalxED9sYOZFRX1ILPadLZ5aY3fZmACLcBGAs/s1600/18301046_10211245238880222_4321023960333127648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJZvLGHRNYI/WZm7ex1c1wI/AAAAAAAAFhM/H_nGalxED9sYOZFRX1ILPadLZ5aY3fZmACLcBGAs/s320/18301046_10211245238880222_4321023960333127648_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lly7oaC8gSc/WZm7DwtaQuI/AAAAAAAAFhE/FWgPzcWNXGM90iniQFfItpo-Vmih5qfzgCLcBGAs/s1600/18301190_10211245241200280_6767919793622151160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lly7oaC8gSc/WZm7DwtaQuI/AAAAAAAAFhE/FWgPzcWNXGM90iniQFfItpo-Vmih5qfzgCLcBGAs/s320/18301190_10211245241200280_6767919793622151160_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--X9PkqYJZSU/WZm7HICyi4I/AAAAAAAAFhI/GQNH_6v14QgLZ5BZGqf9CIYnS1EVUM9HACLcBGAs/s1600/18301411_10211245242800320_6755297415907236557_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--X9PkqYJZSU/WZm7HICyi4I/AAAAAAAAFhI/GQNH_6v14QgLZ5BZGqf9CIYnS1EVUM9HACLcBGAs/s320/18301411_10211245242800320_6755297415907236557_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhFb4Yv10pE/WZm6iBj3mcI/AAAAAAAAFiQ/YBD3ulGxS-w_ozUtwhqRPqm8oXYIqoZOACEwYBhgL/s1600/18301624_10211245237840196_803865020740890499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="666" height="268" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhFb4Yv10pE/WZm6iBj3mcI/AAAAAAAAFiQ/YBD3ulGxS-w_ozUtwhqRPqm8oXYIqoZOACEwYBhgL/s400/18301624_10211245237840196_803865020740890499_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This little lizard was modeling for me. Strike a pose.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ExpkYalHA/WZm7nNb07VI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/MkYliF1VhQkAQuezpbRBg9modO8u4O6YgCLcBGAs/s1600/ts1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Theater of the Seas" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ExpkYalHA/WZm7nNb07VI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/MkYliF1VhQkAQuezpbRBg9modO8u4O6YgCLcBGAs/s320/ts1.jpg" title="Theater of the Seas" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theater of the Seas.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b><u><span style="color: #c27ba0;">WINDLEY KEY</span></u></b><br />Windley Key is home to Theater of The Seas. We visited Theater of the Seas on our last day in the Keys. All I can say is it was an unexpected wonderful experience. Theater of the Seas is a rescue and sea life conservatory that has interactive shows and experiences for the guests to enjoy. And while it is not a huge park, and the snack bar in the park is horribly over priced, it is an amazing experience that I highly recommend.<br /><br />You need three hours to enjoy the entire park and all it offers in the general admission. The shows are timed in a way that if you miss one, you can work your way around the park and catch it later. I really liked that. So many parks offer shows either once or twice a day and they space them out so far apart that it is hard to catch either one. They also tend to have different shows occurring at the same time. I especially see this in larger parks. You miss the first show. The next one is in three hours but in three hours you are a mile away in a different part of the park.<br /><br />Do you make the hike all the way back to catch the show? Do you hang around the area where the show is located and miss out on other parts of the park due to timing? Do you not get to see any shows? It shouldn't be this stressful right? My family has had issues with this happening at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Hershey Park, Historic Philly and the Baltimore Aquarium to name a few.<br /><br />Because Theater of the Seas is a smaller park that did not have competing venues, we were able to catch every single event the park offered. And while the park is mainly shows and experiences, there are a few ponds and observation areas where you can check out extraordinary, huge sea turtles, barracudas, nurse sharks and exotic birds. Below are photos of everything we got to enjoy at Theater of the Seas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This was one of our most favorite parts of our trip. Theater of the Seas did not disappoint.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3YQ8MFbcOc/WZm7uw9nzJI/AAAAAAAAFhU/fVNiw0NdaVkgPYBdhx3w1_OrDKb54jmzwCLcBGAs/s1600/18446844_10211276707506918_2269775026577097238_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="708" height="271" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3YQ8MFbcOc/WZm7uw9nzJI/AAAAAAAAFhU/fVNiw0NdaVkgPYBdhx3w1_OrDKb54jmzwCLcBGAs/s400/18446844_10211276707506918_2269775026577097238_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mPZT0hIqTs8/WZm9wDaPcKI/AAAAAAAAFiM/1hzkOWR17XcUA-seA5ac83aEBz8WhnTpwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403599_10211271702781803_2520439198833788104_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="705" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mPZT0hIqTs8/WZm9wDaPcKI/AAAAAAAAFiM/1hzkOWR17XcUA-seA5ac83aEBz8WhnTpwCLcBGAs/s400/18403599_10211271702781803_2520439198833788104_n.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQ4Y-gPxZ_s/WZm72848MiI/AAAAAAAAFhY/EcidGSx5x6sCBbfmJCoSpT7u84b5g4EqgCLcBGAs/s1600/ts5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQ4Y-gPxZ_s/WZm72848MiI/AAAAAAAAFhY/EcidGSx5x6sCBbfmJCoSpT7u84b5g4EqgCLcBGAs/s400/ts5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTnwxHj4_ic/WZm787Ia3bI/AAAAAAAAFhc/aP4ggtJCo1A_NuN3z3sYbmxSnpeRWLU7QCLcBGAs/s1600/ts7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTnwxHj4_ic/WZm787Ia3bI/AAAAAAAAFhc/aP4ggtJCo1A_NuN3z3sYbmxSnpeRWLU7QCLcBGAs/s400/ts7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-guW873fIgjQ/WZm8Cwvi7II/AAAAAAAAFhg/PukZ-q2ZScY_AtU4TUdXZn9Xf9I2i6C-QCLcBGAs/s1600/ts13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-guW873fIgjQ/WZm8Cwvi7II/AAAAAAAAFhg/PukZ-q2ZScY_AtU4TUdXZn9Xf9I2i6C-QCLcBGAs/s320/ts13.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nOmmknV82NA/WZm8GkInh_I/AAAAAAAAFhk/5E_94r35Vc0WeD2pM2s7yKBpyLNt3GFpwCLcBGAs/s1600/ts15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nOmmknV82NA/WZm8GkInh_I/AAAAAAAAFhk/5E_94r35Vc0WeD2pM2s7yKBpyLNt3GFpwCLcBGAs/s320/ts15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="719" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gxVNUFrJsaA/WZm86raGaTI/AAAAAAAAFhw/86-59zl3znI7byDq3o5ZT4nTk1cqjEh5QCLcBGAs/s400/ts38.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42nReNc5ZOI/WZm9IjOnwhI/AAAAAAAAFh0/J1ZCWbS5N0c9XhdauqnlLvcsXbJVp2-wwCLcBGAs/s1600/ts31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42nReNc5ZOI/WZm9IjOnwhI/AAAAAAAAFh0/J1ZCWbS5N0c9XhdauqnlLvcsXbJVp2-wwCLcBGAs/s320/ts31.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_jUqpEPcAg/WZm9NbNRg3I/AAAAAAAAFh4/IeedVQI1ZU0daDMbREEc5I5sJrkSdD-6wCLcBGAs/s1600/ts32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_jUqpEPcAg/WZm9NbNRg3I/AAAAAAAAFh4/IeedVQI1ZU0daDMbREEc5I5sJrkSdD-6wCLcBGAs/s320/ts32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D_ZJn5z-FY0/WZm9X_iCfjI/AAAAAAAAFh8/34gtDVvESdcOhQ5l7OT0j9vX6bzIIqm2QCLcBGAs/s1600/ts28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D_ZJn5z-FY0/WZm9X_iCfjI/AAAAAAAAFh8/34gtDVvESdcOhQ5l7OT0j9vX6bzIIqm2QCLcBGAs/s320/ts28.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rMOaSRv7OSQ/WZm9bjkiFUI/AAAAAAAAFiA/0glTJMFS8h8pz_c7r7jNna4RWzTXVodFgCLcBGAs/s1600/ts27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rMOaSRv7OSQ/WZm9bjkiFUI/AAAAAAAAFiA/0glTJMFS8h8pz_c7r7jNna4RWzTXVodFgCLcBGAs/s320/ts27.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DXXR7-DQYQg/WZm9g7BFpyI/AAAAAAAAFiE/_JdcHUIpTB4GqW5v2zj5TIOG4BxXKBxIACLcBGAs/s1600/ts3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DXXR7-DQYQg/WZm9g7BFpyI/AAAAAAAAFiE/_JdcHUIpTB4GqW5v2zj5TIOG4BxXKBxIACLcBGAs/s320/ts3.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BW7MIdiLzZU/WZm9nixo0dI/AAAAAAAAFiI/pyQfwuqGpcQ2ucj9c2hZ7C6XydiqhMb1wCLcBGAs/s1600/ts22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BW7MIdiLzZU/WZm9nixo0dI/AAAAAAAAFiI/pyQfwuqGpcQ2ucj9c2hZ7C6XydiqhMb1wCLcBGAs/s320/ts22.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UokwN_BSk3w/WZnhHdfX9DI/AAAAAAAAFiw/zTd_3FvTXYYgAwLFXv7lc9GV7Au1-SsswCLcBGAs/s1600/17952010_10211260868270947_6339200008706696041_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UokwN_BSk3w/WZnhHdfX9DI/AAAAAAAAFiw/zTd_3FvTXYYgAwLFXv7lc9GV7Au1-SsswCLcBGAs/s320/17952010_10211260868270947_6339200008706696041_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><b><u><span style="color: #741b47;">LOWER MATACUMBE KEY&nbsp;</span></u></b><br />Robbie's Marina is a must if you are driving by Lower Matacumbe Key. They have fishing charters, snorkeling and huge ass tarpons! I am talking HUGE. And, for a ridiculously small fee, you can feed the fish. It was under $10 for the kiddos and I to each get a bucket of feeder fish and access to the docks. That was the best deal yet in our Keys adventure.<br /><br />We each grabbed our bucket of fish and made our way to the beginning of the dock. My mouth dropped when I saw these long, giant fish floating around the crystal blue waters. They were amazing. I then noticed a sign saying to watch for the pelicans because they bite. I glimpsed down the dock and noticed several huge brown birds with really long beaks quickly making their way towards us.<br /><br />I wanted to stay near the beginning of the docks because the water was not deep. It was maybe a foot or two in depth. My son can't swim and the mom in me did not want him getting spooked by a pelican and falling into the water. Staying on this end to feed the fish would be best. In the five seconds that thought went through my head we found ourselves almost completely surrounded by pelicans. One of the dock workers walked up and shooed the pelicans away but informed us we would be better off at the end of the dock.<br /><br />Nervously, we made our way down the dock to where a charter boat was parked. I glanced at the water again. I could no longer see the sand beneath the turquoise water. I told my son to stand near the boat. The pelicans were now approaching us again. There were other people on the dock laughing and throwing fish in the water, trying to dodge the pelicans. The pelicans were brazen though. They gave zero f@cks.<br /><br />We began tossing our fish into the water. Sometimes a tarpon got the fish, sometimes the pelican intercepted it. Then there was a battle royale. Tarpon vs. Pelican. It was like slow motion. All I saw was a fish flying through the air, a bunch of pelicans flying off the dock towards the flying fish, then 3 huge tarpons exploding out of the water. One of the tarpon literally stole the fish in mid air just as the pelican's mouth was clamping down to capture it. You could literally hear the snap of both the tarpon's mouth and the pelican's beak.<br /><br />It was fricken' wicked.<br /><br />After all of our buckets were empty, we called it a draw. Half the fish made it to the tarpon, the other half were captured by the asshole pelicans. No wonder they are so huge. They are vultures of the sea. Can't say I blame them though. They know where the food is so they might as well partake in the wealth. I mean if someone was throwing perfectly good slices of fresh, hot, pizza at a bunch of pigeons, I would not hesitate to swoop in there and intercept a few for myself. I'm not above doing something like that.<br /><br />We walked back down the dock and turned our buckets in. We began roaming the grounds. Just like the Rain Barrel, Robbie's had artisan tents set up along the grounds. We did some window shopping, admiring all the beach life themes. There was a really cute wooden seahorse garland I was eyeing up, but I could not bring myself to pay $30 for it. $15 yes, I would pay that, but not $30. I knew it was not handcrafted. Some of the sellers need to make sure they remove the made in Taiwan and made in the Philippines stickers off their wares. Not only is it deceiving to the customer, but it looks bad on the genuine crafters present on site.<br /><br />If you are going to sell that type of stuff, so be it, but do not charge hand crafted prices for it. With the exception of that little downside, we all had an awesome time at Robbie's.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Crazy birds and Big Ass Fish! All part of the Robbie's experience! So much fun!</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bC5m7J5_gaI/WZnhf9kU_LI/AAAAAAAAFi0/-qJomPSyT6YHbYoeyQqfSImrGR7cbdmCACLcBGAs/s1600/18341895_10211260856750659_164865038833196334_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bC5m7J5_gaI/WZnhf9kU_LI/AAAAAAAAFi0/-qJomPSyT6YHbYoeyQqfSImrGR7cbdmCACLcBGAs/s320/18341895_10211260856750659_164865038833196334_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNYvm4Kufnc/WZnhlsI4aHI/AAAAAAAAFi4/2K5OuI8RPYQ2c85jO6_pcyJilcLtwd-ZgCLcBGAs/s1600/18341991_10211260857070667_1463638066816783236_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNYvm4Kufnc/WZnhlsI4aHI/AAAAAAAAFi4/2K5OuI8RPYQ2c85jO6_pcyJilcLtwd-ZgCLcBGAs/s320/18341991_10211260857070667_1463638066816783236_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHUUy68KpZU/WZnhr8moYeI/AAAAAAAAFi8/QcjTolaOYcw3MV0saekJH_DgtKV2fzOZACLcBGAs/s1600/18402907_10211260866670907_2887285099548334770_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHUUy68KpZU/WZnhr8moYeI/AAAAAAAAFi8/QcjTolaOYcw3MV0saekJH_DgtKV2fzOZACLcBGAs/s400/18402907_10211260866670907_2887285099548334770_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShSbO6Ztnz8/WZnhzRTMNXI/AAAAAAAAFjA/It4-IqlWlvw2V3aEGg6SIFFNGqoCuBeggCLcBGAs/s1600/18447273_10211260857590680_5524508374589499864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShSbO6Ztnz8/WZnhzRTMNXI/AAAAAAAAFjA/It4-IqlWlvw2V3aEGg6SIFFNGqoCuBeggCLcBGAs/s320/18447273_10211260857590680_5524508374589499864_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pu4f4E2fIF8/WZnh13QXSeI/AAAAAAAAFjE/QzVhjPhdmdg-zARwKnt79VegKgy6K6yaQCLcBGAs/s1600/18424041_10211260857310673_8470843855787815264_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pu4f4E2fIF8/WZnh13QXSeI/AAAAAAAAFjE/QzVhjPhdmdg-zARwKnt79VegKgy6K6yaQCLcBGAs/s320/18424041_10211260857310673_8470843855787815264_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C96yRdCBukI/WZnh7wbu8UI/AAAAAAAAFjI/Ym4RAHN8jeEuc7w3xRSeau2oo0B7M80wACLcBGAs/s1600/18403160_10211260855270622_7498075455434982328_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C96yRdCBukI/WZnh7wbu8UI/AAAAAAAAFjI/Ym4RAHN8jeEuc7w3xRSeau2oo0B7M80wACLcBGAs/s400/18403160_10211260855270622_7498075455434982328_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PUeaY3hTNN0/WZniBtKZL_I/AAAAAAAAFjM/UMqTPXhVwBcKSGXBscvvS9oiIZuMHvzGgCLcBGAs/s1600/18425152_10211260855550629_375244231178996985_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PUeaY3hTNN0/WZniBtKZL_I/AAAAAAAAFjM/UMqTPXhVwBcKSGXBscvvS9oiIZuMHvzGgCLcBGAs/s320/18425152_10211260855550629_375244231178996985_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ppGreoKr-w/WZniEdi5TQI/AAAAAAAAFjQ/cM-5nwPoo9YTJQ0PJK2TM7WcxaRFHQM9QCLcBGAs/s1600/18341748_10211260855870637_2901263103299293727_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ppGreoKr-w/WZniEdi5TQI/AAAAAAAAFjQ/cM-5nwPoo9YTJQ0PJK2TM7WcxaRFHQM9QCLcBGAs/s320/18341748_10211260855870637_2901263103299293727_n.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><br /><b><u><span style="color: #a64d79;">MARATHON</span></u></b><br />We only really stopped in Marathon to visit one of the several Sandal Outlets advertised on billboards all over the Keys. It was a nice store with all things name brand from Uggs to Adidas. The heavily advertised 4 for $10 T-shirt deal is limited to one rack in the back of the store. It's a draw to get you in the store. The products were high quality yes, but do not go in there expecting to find cheap t-shirts and souvenirs.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJPXSH7rzUI/WZnqISigLII/AAAAAAAAFlE/Dc-_J24BtkcF2tvwO6_3GMy4cyG7W3pQQCLcBGAs/s1600/18275271_10211245243720343_4858059489830088750_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="548" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJPXSH7rzUI/WZnqISigLII/AAAAAAAAFlE/Dc-_J24BtkcF2tvwO6_3GMy4cyG7W3pQQCLcBGAs/s640/18275271_10211245243720343_4858059489830088750_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old Seven Mile Bridge from the new Seven Mile Bridge.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCnGIVSRiIA/WZnqMbAEDOI/AAAAAAAAFlI/h0tAnok8gNEmhtD_1bcpx2ggpYwOQOUHwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403314_10211260792869062_8384081584561766110_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCnGIVSRiIA/WZnqMbAEDOI/AAAAAAAAFlI/h0tAnok8gNEmhtD_1bcpx2ggpYwOQOUHwCLcBGAs/s320/18403314_10211260792869062_8384081584561766110_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandal Outlets up and down the Keys.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b><u><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></u></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc8JkLWFNfI/WZnkmL7tlGI/AAAAAAAAFjg/b2aPxdSzP08ZC_V4XkbDFpLYIZSl7K0DgCLcBGAs/s1600/18425260_10211245250520513_5862956014839856554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc8JkLWFNfI/WZnkmL7tlGI/AAAAAAAAFjg/b2aPxdSzP08ZC_V4XkbDFpLYIZSl7K0DgCLcBGAs/s320/18425260_10211245250520513_5862956014839856554_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Name Pub.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b><u><span style="color: #741b47;">BIG PINE KEY &amp; NO NAME KEY</span></u></b><br />Big Pine Key and No Name Key are home to the endangered Key Deer. My kids and I went seeking them out. We saw a few on the sides of the road or in front yards. They are a little smaller than your average deer. I don't know why but I was expecting the Key Deer to be these teeny, tiny deer. They were not. The Key Deer are also not really phased by people. They just keep going about their business rummaging for food or strolling along the street. They are also wildly protected by not only law enforcement but the locals as well.<br /><br />I did notice that these two particular keys had a lot of scrub. Especially as you drove further into the keys and along the waterlines. It was kind of creepy but also really cool. I do know that I would certainly not get out of the car and explore unless I was with someone familiar with the area because this is definitely terrain I am not at all familiar with. It's great to be adventurous and all but you also have to be smart. My most favorite part about these keys was visiting the brothel turned restaurant called No Name Pub. I gush all about it <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It was definitely worth going off the beaten path and I have no doubt I will visit there again one day. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wildlife of Big Pine Key and No Name Key</b></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWu4RE-jk1A/WZnktzV2S9I/AAAAAAAAFjk/26KMt3_V2wE1mysAD9CltKKMvoeJVmfpACLcBGAs/s1600/18301413_10211252867990945_2206479141769890432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWu4RE-jk1A/WZnktzV2S9I/AAAAAAAAFjk/26KMt3_V2wE1mysAD9CltKKMvoeJVmfpACLcBGAs/s400/18301413_10211252867990945_2206479141769890432_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key Deer wondering around a residential yard.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8sE2RqyFRw/WZnk68SExsI/AAAAAAAAFjo/br3E0g5c1vg0OgCK0l8Jbt0C4KLMgiJOQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301587_10211245253680592_9037311329738596729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8sE2RqyFRw/WZnk68SExsI/AAAAAAAAFjo/br3E0g5c1vg0OgCK0l8Jbt0C4KLMgiJOQCLcBGAs/s400/18301587_10211245253680592_9037311329738596729_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roosters galore!</td></tr></tbody></table><b><u><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><br /></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color: #c27ba0;">RAMROD KEY/SUMMERLAND KEY&nbsp;</span></u></b><br />Ramrod Key is named for a ship that wrecked not far from the coast of this key. It is a small, residential key but is very pretty. They have a wonderful Cuban bodega which I rave about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/221-try-conch.html" target="_blank">here</a>. My first experiences with conch and the heavenly Cafe Con Leche occurred on this key. There is also a very pretty, thatched roof, open air restaurant on this key called Boondocks. Live bands play every night in this restaurant. And while the atmosphere was wonderful and the service super friendly, I found the food to be less than stellar for the the prices they charge.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Boondocks in Ramrod Key.</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azHYG5gQ61s/WZnlZ6I8csI/AAAAAAAAFjw/UR9wq6vz2dIpg1zWIkj77ft1mLH5hYxAgCLcBGAs/s1600/18403538_10211276648425441_4634956149221480116_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azHYG5gQ61s/WZnlZ6I8csI/AAAAAAAAFjw/UR9wq6vz2dIpg1zWIkj77ft1mLH5hYxAgCLcBGAs/s400/18403538_10211276648425441_4634956149221480116_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4v2v6map_DI/WZnlHsFL95I/AAAAAAAAFjs/JeVgArAax1YNqCJcQnX4XF2DyfZBnWIAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/18403319_10211276648945454_7351068732412159724_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4v2v6map_DI/WZnlHsFL95I/AAAAAAAAFjs/JeVgArAax1YNqCJcQnX4XF2DyfZBnWIAgCEwYBhgL/s400/18403319_10211276648945454_7351068732412159724_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7P-DnikcvIA/WZnl9UD4vII/AAAAAAAAFj4/ol-uS9f40uAvYiyTD4zc_f99dxzIio-HwCLcBGAs/s1600/18300966_10211252868230951_6602978257258309992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="686" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7P-DnikcvIA/WZnl9UD4vII/AAAAAAAAFj4/ol-uS9f40uAvYiyTD4zc_f99dxzIio-HwCLcBGAs/s320/18300966_10211252868230951_6602978257258309992_n.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo3FJ2_4Cog/WZnmAW4mlrI/AAAAAAAAFj8/eZb4mz7pVdEn4HfYB9x145Fb2x-u4E6awCLcBGAs/s1600/18301312_10211252868790965_6426907349835290321_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo3FJ2_4Cog/WZnmAW4mlrI/AAAAAAAAFj8/eZb4mz7pVdEn4HfYB9x145Fb2x-u4E6awCLcBGAs/s320/18301312_10211252868790965_6426907349835290321_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l0v9W7pPFw0/WZnnmMwWhPI/AAAAAAAAFkI/Kjx_ccXl-EINZMJ0PTkIVCH6yaDsdIK2QCLcBGAs/s1600/18402835_10211245310082002_2929967193655055739_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l0v9W7pPFw0/WZnnmMwWhPI/AAAAAAAAFkI/Kjx_ccXl-EINZMJ0PTkIVCH6yaDsdIK2QCLcBGAs/s320/18402835_10211245310082002_2929967193655055739_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sugarloaf Lodge</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #a64d79;"><u>SUGARLOAF KEY</u></b><br />I absolutely fell in love with Sugarloaf Key. Sugarloaf Key is actually separated into two sections. Upper Sugarloaf Key and Lower Sugarloaf Key. Both parts of Sugarloaf Key have this laid back, tropical feel to them. The vibe of this key is more like working class paradise. It's quieter here, but not at all boring. I thought it was a perfect retreat from the more bustling Keys.<br /><br />And, it was only 15 minutes from Key West. You could enjoy all the fun and excitement of Key West for as long as you wanted, and then when you had enough, you could retreat to Sugarloaf Key to enjoy the more rustic nature of the Keys. I was so thrilled at this unintentional balance I had created on our vacation. It was so perfect.<br /><br />We stayed at the Sugarloaf Lodge in Lower Sugarloaf Key. It is the only hotel on the Key. It was a nice property situated along a canal. Every room had a view of the water. The first floor had sliding glass doors with patios and the second floor had sliding glass doors with balconies. We stayed on the second floor. I am not gonna lie, I got my money's worth out of that balcony. I spent a good deal of time out there just enjoying Sugarloaf Key's nature.<br /><br />The lodge itself is not the most fancy. However, it is very clean. The beds are very comfortable. There was a large flat screen TV, fridge and free wifi. The grounds had an outdoor pool across the parking lot. 24 hour swimming was permitted. There was a creek with mangroves growing abundantly along the water and a sitting area next to the lodge. There was a hammock perched near the canal for guests to enjoy. I immediately fell out of it.<br /><br />Two people sitting out on their patio got a good look at my ass since I tried very hard to fight rolling out of the hammock and falling to the ground completely. In that process, not only did I still fall out, I also landed awkwardly on my ass with my dress up to my waist and one of my sandals laying in the dirt a few feet away. I like to call this piece of work, "Godzilla in a dress trying to lay on a hammock."<br /><br />Chrissy and hammocks do not mesh well obviously but I do love them. That was also the only attempt I made to lay in that hammock during my stay. I'm lucky I fell out on the lodge side and not the canal side otherwise I would have rolled right down the slope into the canal. And that canal was deep near the lodge. The drop off was at least 1000 feet. &nbsp;( I have no idea how deep it was to be honest. All I know was you could not see the bottom.)<br /><br />The lodge was also home to a thatched roof Tiki Bar with great drinks. It was open to the public so a lot of locals would come hang there. They were all very nice people. The lodge had docks to park boats and jet skis. People would ride up, visit the Tiki Bar, then go on their merry way again. There was also a private beach. Now granted, you could not walk into the ocean from this beach. The beach lead to the concrete barrier of the canal and swimming was not permitted, but it was awesome to be able to chill on the beach nonetheless. The mosquitoes also liked chilling on the beach, and my neck, and my legs, and my arms, and my face.<br /><br />I truly enjoyed Sugarloaf Key and would love to stay at the Sugarloaf lodge again.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The grounds of Sugarloaf Lodge on Lower Sugarloaf Key. Old Florida at it's finest which is exactly what I wanted! What an experience!&nbsp;</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7tAvF5KOHk8/WZnnt2bowPI/AAAAAAAAFkM/czVD-jwiV2YvOSUbENm5fDRvIo2onyJfQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301565_10211245310442011_5874832858176816039_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7tAvF5KOHk8/WZnnt2bowPI/AAAAAAAAFkM/czVD-jwiV2YvOSUbENm5fDRvIo2onyJfQCLcBGAs/s400/18301565_10211245310442011_5874832858176816039_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bU1sp8mDdUY/WZnn0-pRYFI/AAAAAAAAFkQ/ZJH3iy9kgL43v0xlnQ5sxlrqiPH3b--zwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301203_10211245311442036_8149383065754990776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bU1sp8mDdUY/WZnn0-pRYFI/AAAAAAAAFkQ/ZJH3iy9kgL43v0xlnQ5sxlrqiPH3b--zwCLcBGAs/s320/18301203_10211245311442036_8149383065754990776_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2HKKJ4uO6FI/WZnn6bq-HyI/AAAAAAAAFkU/sMNGbU-QaGgW26ROWokJWkRxOGZIpkf8ACLcBGAs/s1600/18300816_10211245310882022_8625389252094216167_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MrOzTzHDELQ/WZnow8mlYGI/AAAAAAAAFks/jwX72VbJNJYTGLayEgUi1JMftAobEt_HwCLcBGAs/s320/18301215_10211245309121978_2226741461527760159_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2JwZQi9eA/WZno0q1xFKI/AAAAAAAAFkw/bEJAKngBLeo7t26vEc0D6zLvTRuG6b1pwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301295_10211245311602040_3713098269323025301_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2JwZQi9eA/WZno0q1xFKI/AAAAAAAAFkw/bEJAKngBLeo7t26vEc0D6zLvTRuG6b1pwCLcBGAs/s320/18301295_10211245311602040_3713098269323025301_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Rf_gUa2CwU/WZnpS4knIaI/AAAAAAAAFk0/A9yha1rcDEoo5zgFmZTZlrpiZPGrPmgVgCLcBGAs/s1600/18402722_10211251126987421_9038482145968469394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Rf_gUa2CwU/WZnpS4knIaI/AAAAAAAAFk0/A9yha1rcDEoo5zgFmZTZlrpiZPGrPmgVgCLcBGAs/s400/18402722_10211251126987421_9038482145968469394_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><u><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></u></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-_IQwUG8P8/WZnpdNF5xjI/AAAAAAAAFk8/Aaw1eX34qAYsssUsdO11poHQpEiLtUrOACLcBGAs/s1600/18403346_10211251128627462_2082772482154460013_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-_IQwUG8P8/WZnpdNF5xjI/AAAAAAAAFk8/Aaw1eX34qAYsssUsdO11poHQpEiLtUrOACLcBGAs/s320/18403346_10211251128627462_2082772482154460013_n.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous buoy of Key West.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b><u><span style="color: #741b47;">KEY WEST</span></u></b><br />The creme de la creme of Keys. It was so beautiful and so fun. I know I will visit here again and again. This was a huge dream come true for me and it was everything I thought it would be and more. I gush about Key West <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/08/100-visit-key-west.html" target="_blank">here</a> since it was #100 on my Bucket List.<br /><br /><br />I have many other Keys I would like to explore on future visits to paradise. I will be sure to add them to this blog as well. For now, however, this is the end of a what was a wonderful adventure. A dream come true! This trip helped me in more ways than you could even imagine. When you realize one of your dreams coming true, it is one of the most beautifully emotional experiences one could have. To all the dreamers out there, keep at it!<br /><br /><br />Until next time Florida Keys..........<br /><br /><a href="https://mycreeksideinn.com/" target="_blank">Creekside Inn</a><br /><a href="http://www.keysdirectory.com/rainbarrel/" target="_blank">Rain Barrel Artisan Village</a><br /><a href="https://theaterofthesea.com/" target="_blank">Theater Of the Sea</a><br /><a href="http://robbies.com/" target="_blank">Robbie's</a><br /><a href="http://sugarloaflodge.net/Home.html" target="_blank">Sugarloaf Lodge</a><br /><a href="https://www.sandalfactory.com/" target="_blank">Sandal Factory Outlet</a><br /><a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/National_Key_Deer_Refuge/" target="_blank">National Key Deer Refuge</a><br /><a href="http://www.sugarloaflodge.net/Restaurant.html" target="_blank">Sugarloaf Pizza</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheMysticalMermaid/" target="_blank">The Mystical Mermaid</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Five-Brothers-Grocery-Two/153516781330418" target="_blank">Five Brothers Grocery Two</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dd0SEOTtAYo/WZn9WILgSyI/AAAAAAAAFlk/zNLT5xizCpc71kffB13OKpxDQrowh1EqQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301906_10211240613044579_5000242176887539345_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dd0SEOTtAYo/WZn9WILgSyI/AAAAAAAAFlk/zNLT5xizCpc71kffB13OKpxDQrowh1EqQCLcBGAs/s320/18301906_10211240613044579_5000242176887539345_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-71260796092339015842017-08-13T11:15:00.000-07:002017-08-13T11:15:45.972-07:00#475 Visit Key LargoKey Largo is the first major key I visited in my Florida Keys road trip adventure.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfO4froGd4E/WVATGUVIFzI/AAAAAAAAFMA/WA3AHuOYV7EhILxJsDt52jHm6vQxoWB-wCLcBGAs/s1600/19430141_10211657683471079_7538464961428165051_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfO4froGd4E/WVATGUVIFzI/AAAAAAAAFMA/WA3AHuOYV7EhILxJsDt52jHm6vQxoWB-wCLcBGAs/s400/19430141_10211657683471079_7538464961428165051_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A timeless beauty. </td></tr></tbody></table>My first plan of action in Key Largo was to seek out the famous African Queen. The African Queen was a steamship built in Britain around 1912 for use in Africa along the White Nile. She was originally called the Livingstone but the name African Queen was more suited for this regal, well traveled gal.<br /><br />Eventually the Livingstone became the African Queen. She spent a good part of her travels in the Congo. She transported hunters and cargo along the Ruki River for many, many years. Later, in 1951, she got the starring role in the self titled movie, The African Queen.<br /><br />This queen is a beautiful, antiquated little steam boat made from British steel and African mahogany. She still has a coal stoker on board to help steam her along. She no longer sails up and down the rivers of Africa though. Instead she steams around the canals and marinas of Key Largo. Many people have donated much time and resources to restore this Queen back to her original beauty and function from World War I. The African Queen is now used to provide locals and tourists visiting the Florida Keys with scenic cruises along Port Key Largo. How cool is that?<br /><br />And while I was unable to partake in a lovely cruise on this beautiful little steam boat, I made sure to contribute a monetary donation to help keep her running. I'm a big fan of not losing the past. In our haste to move forward as a society, we tend to discard our relics of the past. It's only when we find ourselves reminiscing many years later that we wish we had not been so eager to toss out traces of our roots. Not everything can be saved, I understand that, it's not feasible, but we should save some things.<br /><br />Anyway, she was most certainly the most distinct and most stunning boat in the Key Largo Marina. Eventually, I would love to take a cruise in this majestic lady. And I will, one day. I have added that to my Bucket List. Once you visit the Keys, it's almost impossible not to want to go back. I am glad I saved some adventures for next time! Below are some pics of this stunning old gal flying both the British and American flags.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FGQf8eHfoGM/WVATeEMwcrI/AAAAAAAAFMI/RVKUSkcsWjUj7akCGNk52DRMSTMgoYJuQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402859_10211245230720018_621621957959339548_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iHjG4YjrYFo/WVATZlnMVdI/AAAAAAAAFME/fDC1svnek5EjOKM0q5zChy1Z8wQbYU2qQCLcBGAs/s320/18342209_10211245230880022_8386701811234619151_n.jpg" width="320" /><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FGQf8eHfoGM/WVATeEMwcrI/AAAAAAAAFMI/RVKUSkcsWjUj7akCGNk52DRMSTMgoYJuQCLcBGAs/s320/18402859_10211245230720018_621621957959339548_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dndJgRcuXu4/WVATlsZcZ0I/AAAAAAAAFMM/eiLTrjhnmHgGQtU4DdlrRySKnjCNRP42QCLcBGAs/s1600/18301319_10211245231240031_7404151559090726082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dndJgRcuXu4/WVATlsZcZ0I/AAAAAAAAFMM/eiLTrjhnmHgGQtU4DdlrRySKnjCNRP42QCLcBGAs/s320/18301319_10211245231240031_7404151559090726082_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sqznRnaGOG8/WVATsigJXhI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/X4ZOiK6mN8ozGiDh92Pq_p4imHTkdBUTACLcBGAs/s1600/19399900_10211657697151421_6074741916762240728_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sqznRnaGOG8/WVATsigJXhI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/X4ZOiK6mN8ozGiDh92Pq_p4imHTkdBUTACLcBGAs/s320/19399900_10211657697151421_6074741916762240728_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://africanqueenflkeys.com/index.html" target="_blank">Learn more about cruising the African Queen and her history here.&nbsp;</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">Key Largo, to me, was beach town meets hometown USA. There were lots of beautiful homes, both big and small. Condos, hotels and restaurants were also readily available. There was definitely a neighborhood feel to Key Largo. Maybe it was because while Key Largo is touristy, it also has the essential shopping centers, gas stations and local businesses that normal everyday people seek out. From what I understand, Key Largo has some very amazing restaurants. I only had the luxury of trying one, but boy did I love it.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">Mrs. Mac's Kitchen II is where I was introduced to the best Key Lime pie I have ever tasted in my life. And I talk about my little slice of heaven in my <a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank">Key Lime Pie Blog</a>. However, Ms. Mac's also had an exceptional and very reasonably priced menu. My daughter treated us all to some garlic truffle fries as an appetizer. They tasted divine. They were the perfect amount of crisp, drizzled with a light truffle oil then sprinkled with garlic and Parmesan cheese.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">My daughter ordered the beef tacos. When our super friendly and very doting waiter brought out her dinner, I gasped. They looked just as beautiful and authentic as the Latino restaurants in my neck of the woods. They were piled high with meat, tomatoes, cheeses and other tasty Mexican toppings. She assured me they were delicious. I felt a little pang of envy deep in my soul. My son tried a Buffalo meat burger which he enjoyed very much.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yiU2EfMpIhc/WXPCWbKgLFI/AAAAAAAAFYM/mKMc1GYuIqwMcbGzuW_pXiVt_ckqQvczACLcBGAs/s1600/18033228_10211259318592206_1567280221102790459_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mrs. Mac's Kitchen" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yiU2EfMpIhc/WXPCWbKgLFI/AAAAAAAAFYM/mKMc1GYuIqwMcbGzuW_pXiVt_ckqQvczACLcBGAs/s400/18033228_10211259318592206_1567280221102790459_n.jpg" title="Truffle Fries" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truffle Fries</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9ueSNThKbs/WXPCpD9xTHI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/ZM-98HUpRrk5GfksKu1YD92AbNKNFq-5wCLcBGAs/s1600/18485873_10210809689451879_1454175977159365776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mrs. Mac's Kitchen" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9ueSNThKbs/WXPCpD9xTHI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/ZM-98HUpRrk5GfksKu1YD92AbNKNFq-5wCLcBGAs/s400/18485873_10210809689451879_1454175977159365776_n.jpg" title="Mrs. Mac's Kitchen" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These tacos looked delish!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VT4ZzKrWg3U/WXPC1BV7DyI/AAAAAAAAFYU/_S1KtAbVNrovuJXPwtbxiDK1P3mhG33OACLcBGAs/s1600/19511560_10211690332247278_8859539349113161053_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mrs. Mac's Kitchen" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VT4ZzKrWg3U/WXPC1BV7DyI/AAAAAAAAFYU/_S1KtAbVNrovuJXPwtbxiDK1P3mhG33OACLcBGAs/s400/19511560_10211690332247278_8859539349113161053_n.jpg" title="Mrs. Mac's Kitchen" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amazing patty melt! The picture does not do it's size justice.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br />I found it so cool that he was branching out and trying all these new foods. This kid lived on hot dogs and chicken nuggets growing up. I had to feed him vitamins every day cuz the kid would rather starve than eat most foods. Now he was trying sushi and buffalo to name a few things. I was very happy about that. As for me, well I am a sucker for a good Patty Melt. This Patty Melt was HUGE. It was also delicious although I am not gonna lie, I was still very jealous of my daughters tacos.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">After dinner we visited Shell World. This gargantuan store had every shell imaginable. It also had many, many other beautiful products from dishes to jewelry, blankets to tote bags. I purchased some of the famous sea salt scrub heavily touted all over the Florida Keys. It is absolutely divine. You only need a little too. It was a little embarrassing testing the product out in the store because I scooped up a big glob of it and then had to stand there for 5 minutes rubbing it all over my hands, arms and even my knees. Didn't want to waste it. It's a quality product for sure.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdArVs43Xbg/WXPDdHu-vOI/AAAAAAAAFYY/izDtO8v61dk_DUyH3DbVK3usmqEpmR9xQCLcBGAs/s1600/18447308_10211276671146009_6357850445296376925_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pink Junktique" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdArVs43Xbg/WXPDdHu-vOI/AAAAAAAAFYY/izDtO8v61dk_DUyH3DbVK3usmqEpmR9xQCLcBGAs/s320/18447308_10211276671146009_6357850445296376925_n.jpg" title="Pink Junktique" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute and great prices!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">The Pink Junktique was a really pink, really cute little antique boutique we visited while in Key Largo. We saw a few amazing furniture pieces that would not fit on the plane but were definitely priced right for the quality. The owner was a doll too. Down the road from Shell World and The Pink Junktique was a shop called Key Lime Products.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;">Every Key Lime combination you could possibly think of was in that store. And the store owner had a nice display of samples for us to savor. &nbsp;</span></span>I wanted to buy one of everything but settled for picking up a few packages of powdered key lime cookies. They were just too good. They key lime flavor combined with the powedered sugar was heaven to my taste buds. &nbsp;We also had to visit the local Publix and Beale's. Our family became huge fans of these stores while in the Keys. Publix sells Krispy Kreme donuts and Beale's is like a TJ Maxx.<br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bspNKP8Tr3U/WXPEO-O9DNI/AAAAAAAAFYc/JQ-UKysOz_MtXXu7E8uz_m0uCFCIezSiACLcBGAs/s1600/18446495_10211271741862780_357527244885757434_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pink Junktique" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bspNKP8Tr3U/WXPEO-O9DNI/AAAAAAAAFYc/JQ-UKysOz_MtXXu7E8uz_m0uCFCIezSiACLcBGAs/s400/18446495_10211271741862780_357527244885757434_n.jpg" title="Pink Junktique" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved everything about this shop!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IvEvAK8rOyg/WXPEiO6qGsI/AAAAAAAAFYg/WKVX9GzeRTs_5OFDRA0w1Gg8I2oXUV-egCLcBGAs/s1600/18341902_10211275772763550_3137564242269644090_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IvEvAK8rOyg/WXPEiO6qGsI/AAAAAAAAFYg/WKVX9GzeRTs_5OFDRA0w1Gg8I2oXUV-egCLcBGAs/s400/18341902_10211275772763550_3137564242269644090_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I fell in love at a Publix. Cheap smokes, Krispy Kremes and Booze in the aisles!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>Key Largo is also home to John Penningkamp State Park. From what I understand, it is one of the best places to snorkel and catch a glimpse of the living coral reef that calls the waters of the Florida Keys home. Unfortunately there was not enough time to visit there but I hope to do so one day in the future. We did not spend much time in Key Largo as there were so many Keys along our journey we wanted to visit but I will say Key Largo was very enjoyable and I will gladly visit this Key again. I want to cruise on the African Queen and have another slice of Mrs. Mac's Key Lime pie!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><u>Cool Stuff in Key Largo</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://keylimeproducts.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Key Lime Products</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.shellworldflkeys.com/" target="_blank">Shell World</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mrsmacskitchen.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Mac's Kitchen</a></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;helvetica neue&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span></span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;helvetica neue&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I_mk2MhHuCI/WXPGVPFJo-I/AAAAAAAAFYw/ORPF46Tjh00EdhcrfxD9euiHErzouL72gCLcBGAs/s1600/17991208_10211063266811034_3872740263738241443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I_mk2MhHuCI/WXPGVPFJo-I/AAAAAAAAFYw/ORPF46Tjh00EdhcrfxD9euiHErzouL72gCLcBGAs/s320/17991208_10211063266811034_3872740263738241443_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;helvetica neue&quot; , &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-3896401700671703172017-08-07T15:33:00.003-07:002017-11-04T18:28:28.896-07:00#100 Visit Key WestKey West. The Diamond of the Florida Keys. What can I say about Key West? A lot really.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2MGLGgIQ2uM/WXPh307pM3I/AAAAAAAAFZE/KZHB8GCXNtkp5cVGjs04oAbcqAZSYdb_wCLcBGAs/s1600/18301567_10211249696471659_2441025000107977652_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="446" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2MGLGgIQ2uM/WXPh307pM3I/AAAAAAAAFZE/KZHB8GCXNtkp5cVGjs04oAbcqAZSYdb_wCLcBGAs/s320/18301567_10211249696471659_2441025000107977652_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Key West Baby!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Key West definitely has a Caribbean vibe to it. No doubt. Coconut trees, ficus roots, ginger blooms, wild orchids and wandering Ibis paint an exotic and colorful portrait of life on a tropical island. Immaculate waters in shades of blue you could only dream about surround this diamond like an aqueous halo while the living, breathing coral reef beneath it nurtures the many sea creatures that call Key West home.<br /><br />However, Key West also has a very stateside vibe to it as well. Yea, yea, I know. It IS a part of the USA. What I mean is, restaurants, shops and attractions exist almost everywhere you turn in Key West. The vibrancy of Key West reminds me of the city that never sleeps, yet it is not at all like NYC. To be perfectly honest, Key West reminds me very much of New Orleans. In fact, Duval Street would definitely rival Bourbon Street or any other street in the French Quarter on any given day.<br /><br />Both New Orleans and Key West are two of the most charming, vibrant, and culturally rich cities I have ever visited. A part of my heart belongs to both places.<br /><br />There is something for everyone in Key West, no matter if you are 18 or 83. There are beaches like Ft. Zachary Taylor Park. One of the most photographed wooden sign posts in the world happens to be located in this park near the snack bar. You may recognize it in the photo below. I will say, it is even more lovely, and colorful when viewing it in person. It's also enormous. There are also several other famous wooden sign posts and wall murals scattered throughout the island of Key West.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hpXMRvgdk8U/WV1-wMGPHwI/AAAAAAAAFQg/54fNilG-locicz58RMuOFxUWoYyDNJBvwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403031_10211253241200275_3468836985335939003_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Zachary Taylor State Park" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hpXMRvgdk8U/WV1-wMGPHwI/AAAAAAAAFQg/54fNilG-locicz58RMuOFxUWoYyDNJBvwCLcBGAs/s640/18403031_10211253241200275_3468836985335939003_n.jpg" title="Key West" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The famous mile post in Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />During my visit, I noticed art is a very prominent characteristic of Key West culture and the artistry does not disappoint at all. In fact, next time I visit, I would love to photograph as many of the signs, murals and sculptures as possible because they truly are so much fun. I enjoy the colors, the details and their uniqueness. The Key West Art and Historical Society does an amazing job of not only promoting but also conserving the art and history of this beautiful island. Below are just some of the treasures I had the pleasure of seeing on my tour of the island. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WN3spEWzlr0/WV1_hgY0RWI/AAAAAAAAFQk/z__tX7Xa3EEL5qfdG2uMi1eKNEm232xrQCLcBGAs/s1600/18403238_10211250361568286_726018694916551255_ns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Art and Historical Society" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WN3spEWzlr0/WV1_hgY0RWI/AAAAAAAAFQk/z__tX7Xa3EEL5qfdG2uMi1eKNEm232xrQCLcBGAs/s400/18403238_10211250361568286_726018694916551255_ns.jpg" title="Key West Art and Historical Society" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gorgeous, gigantic recreation of the most famous kiss.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3r3V92uhtw/WXPpEBOEqNI/AAAAAAAAFaM/ki3zTmiHRPMksgDSyXzQjWzvG_C_Udk-wCLcBGAs/s1600/18011066_10211291188028922_6695015828430682939_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="679" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3r3V92uhtw/WXPpEBOEqNI/AAAAAAAAFaM/ki3zTmiHRPMksgDSyXzQjWzvG_C_Udk-wCLcBGAs/s400/18011066_10211291188028922_6695015828430682939_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Quirky metal sculptures</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FPkm8Ul2bis/WV1_y5loI6I/AAAAAAAAFQo/00BOCaefvlMixbA1NNf-fnykoisKzD_7gCLcBGAs/s1600/18341881_10211250362048298_4222248666032029050_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FPkm8Ul2bis/WV1_y5loI6I/AAAAAAAAFQo/00BOCaefvlMixbA1NNf-fnykoisKzD_7gCLcBGAs/s400/18341881_10211250362048298_4222248666032029050_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Colorful metal rooster sculptures in Mallory Square</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e-ZI6ajWKKg/WV1_61qqe4I/AAAAAAAAFQs/xmiVTdmCoVAgWrisoTsui0VqPM87zLVKACLcBGAs/s1600/18341931_10211251131067523_8861858051905028050_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e-ZI6ajWKKg/WV1_61qqe4I/AAAAAAAAFQs/xmiVTdmCoVAgWrisoTsui0VqPM87zLVKACLcBGAs/s400/18341931_10211251131067523_8861858051905028050_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barnacle art. Quirky and Eye catching!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Let's get back to the beaches though. The Keys are definitely not known for their beaches because the coral reef below the water prevents sands from washing ashore. The reef actually works as a barrier to sand and maritime debris. It also is why surfing is not a part of the Florida Keys and Key West culture. There are literally no waves. There is choppy water at times but no huge, continuous waves. I only noticed some very tiny waves coming ashore with the tides. More than anything, the water seemed very calm, serene, and laid back. Not at all like the Jersey shore. As much as I love waves, I also loved how chill and relaxed the water was in Key West. I was not used to that.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns_PhRcxReg/WV2Ai5a-YeI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/SL87WPiZ4Uc0wAkQ4INOYGF6Q6V1wZQfwCLcBGAs/s1600/18342665_10211253242400305_8140172007957683928_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KYpnDuBjlrQ/WV2AUpzR2zI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/sOubMgJDJmw9ofokFJELAvykk_At1uJowCLcBGAs/s320/18402605_10211253241600285_1996701936022545636_n.jpg" width="320" /><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns_PhRcxReg/WV2Ai5a-YeI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/SL87WPiZ4Uc0wAkQ4INOYGF6Q6V1wZQfwCLcBGAs/s320/18342665_10211253242400305_8140172007957683928_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A view of the waters from Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park</b></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4G0oR3dLsQo/WV2AKqZIOcI/AAAAAAAAFQw/mHO-HoBQgGYyGaesiYx5YFLQEDM3VJxggCLcBGAs/s1600/19598670_10211690330887244_6419445670481780074_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4G0oR3dLsQo/WV2AKqZIOcI/AAAAAAAAFQw/mHO-HoBQgGYyGaesiYx5YFLQEDM3VJxggCLcBGAs/s400/19598670_10211690330887244_6419445670481780074_n.jpg" title="Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The color of the water just boggled my mind.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Key West does have a few nice beaches you can visit to cool off in the beautiful waters. My only recommendation would be to make sure you have some type of water shoe. I found Ft. Zachary Taylor's gorgeous white beach to be very rocky. Perhaps it was just the area I was hanging in, but, it couldn't hurt to have water shoes. The rocks felt jagged and rough under my feet so it did bother them. I still loved checking it out though. We didn't stay in the park long but I am glad we made a little stop there. Next time, I will have water shoes.<br /><br />Near the Southernmost Point Buoy, which I gush&nbsp; about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">here</a>, there are several beaches to enjoy. I hope to go back and visit them all. As for lush, tropical nature, you definitely get to witness some beautiful, exotic eye candy of the botanical type on this island.<br /><br />We visited Harry Truman's Little White House and found it to be a beautiful part of the city to stroll around and enjoy gorgeous trees, plants and flowers. The buildings were breathtaking as well. Not far from the Little White House is The Audubon House. It was also full of stunning, lush foliage that draped it's entire perimeter. In fact, everywhere we turned, there was another charming property with gorgeous landscaping and beautiful architecture. I honestly had no clue what types of of plants and trees were adorning this little island, but I do know they were all wonderful and enchanting.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrQ9HDdE0MQ/WXPjpVfDNBI/AAAAAAAAFZM/3hu5DJT2y08tMZleZPxkXp41aoAPT-cBACLcBGAs/s1600/18342581_10211250357968196_5247985687574258727_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Harry S.Truman Little White House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrQ9HDdE0MQ/WXPjpVfDNBI/AAAAAAAAFZM/3hu5DJT2y08tMZleZPxkXp41aoAPT-cBACLcBGAs/s400/18342581_10211250357968196_5247985687574258727_n.jpg" title="Harry S.Truman Little White House" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little White House</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BwmDazankQ/WXPjyktm5-I/AAAAAAAAFZQ/6A_ubyIaZi4JXOOCMvqYj_wxdsJuXpmFwCLcBGAs/s1600/18341906_10211250358528210_6233706650373417983_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Harry S.Truman Little White House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BwmDazankQ/WXPjyktm5-I/AAAAAAAAFZQ/6A_ubyIaZi4JXOOCMvqYj_wxdsJuXpmFwCLcBGAs/s400/18341906_10211250358528210_6233706650373417983_n.jpg" title="Harry S.Truman Little White House" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I believe this is a ficus tree. Stunning!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vswJBDrS334/WXPj67398vI/AAAAAAAAFZU/15V6l90katEKan-1s2eiJVU3lpk5MQoDgCLcBGAs/s1600/18402658_10211250356848168_6088728853747782483_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img alt="Harry S.Truman Little White House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vswJBDrS334/WXPj67398vI/AAAAAAAAFZU/15V6l90katEKan-1s2eiJVU3lpk5MQoDgCLcBGAs/s400/18402658_10211250356848168_6088728853747782483_n.jpg" title="Harry S.Truman Little White House" width="300" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The fountain and courtyard of the Little White House</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--kfAzGUz30Q/WXPkJBCe2KI/AAAAAAAAFZY/e3bqRcvd-qELpgCIP4yoWzLwy1DMEaingCLcBGAs/s1600/18275207_10211250358128200_727821035555396182_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Harry S.Truman Little White House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--kfAzGUz30Q/WXPkJBCe2KI/AAAAAAAAFZY/e3bqRcvd-qELpgCIP4yoWzLwy1DMEaingCLcBGAs/s400/18275207_10211250358128200_727821035555396182_n.jpg" title="Harry S.Truman Little White House" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The grounds of the Little White House are insanely gorgeous.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We also visited the Hemingway House which I wrote about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">here</a> and The Key West Butterfly Conservatory which I wrote about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/19-visit-butterfly-sanctuary.html" target="_blank">here</a>. These two places are MUST SEE attractions if you are a lover of nature. They are both spectacular, fun attractions with some of the most beautiful botanical displays I have ever seen. Also, the admission prices for both places were most definitely fair in my opinion. They were a bargain for the lifetime memories we made.<br /><br />Strolling along the city we came across Whitehead Street. It's a great street. It also gave us an opportunity to take a photo at Mile 0. If you visit, you can choose to have a photo shoot at the beginning of US Route 1, the ending of US Route 1 or both. I of course, chose both. The signage for the beginning of US Route 1 is a much nicer than the ending but both are still way cool.<br /><br />I took a slew of selfies there and made my son pose for about 15 photos as well. It's what I do. I enjoy every single sight and every single moment of my vacations, adventures and experiences. I do not miss anything taking my photographs. But, I will most certainly spend some time preserving the memories I am making via photograph as well. You never know when you are going to lose your mind. At least I will have pictures for when that occasion arises. Always be prepared!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sS3SeBCe7Fs/WXPkYhxKrLI/AAAAAAAAFZg/LRZEZ80gwZ4trZ6dJUgtu_2A5_x54JdGACLcBGAs/s1600/18403077_10211251131187526_4880767321235837094_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sS3SeBCe7Fs/WXPkYhxKrLI/AAAAAAAAFZg/LRZEZ80gwZ4trZ6dJUgtu_2A5_x54JdGACLcBGAs/s320/18403077_10211251131187526_4880767321235837094_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5gTo1nVgOoA/WXPkR2kheDI/AAAAAAAAFZc/MGAGTarjAgYPmHIcjfuB2JBxAtT8etK7ACLcBGAs/s1600/18402823_10211251029024972_5308435171372392276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5gTo1nVgOoA/WXPkR2kheDI/AAAAAAAAFZc/MGAGTarjAgYPmHIcjfuB2JBxAtT8etK7ACLcBGAs/s320/18402823_10211251029024972_5308435171372392276_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The beginning and end of US Route 1 in Florida. The only other place you will see this is Maine.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Anyways, if you keep heading up Whitehead you eventually find yourself at Mallory Square and Sunset Pier. This is also a MUST see in Key West. Mallory Square has so much activity and fun stuff going on all throughout the day but the creme de la creme of Mallory Square is the sunset celebration, which I wrote about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/129-watch-sun-set-and-rise-in-one-day.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Mallory Square is also home to some cute little shops and souvenir stands. Some of the prices are very, very reasonable too unlike Duval Street. Duval Street can definitely ring your bell with the price tags on some of the wares offered in those shops.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vhZDil-8zh4/WXPk1DkLfkI/AAAAAAAAFZk/sBQPr4z2ZRMe3oVZWl35_WM5pyUJb-OWgCLcBGAs/s1600/d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vhZDil-8zh4/WXPk1DkLfkI/AAAAAAAAFZk/sBQPr4z2ZRMe3oVZWl35_WM5pyUJb-OWgCLcBGAs/s320/d.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fun Stuff in Mallory Square</b></td></tr></tbody></table>In their defense though, the shops on Duval are mostly small businesses and galleries with beautiful art, clothing and many other unique treasures so it's a good thing. It's nice to see small businesses thriving. Unfortunately the only thing I could afford on Duval Street was a bottle of water. I did get some awesome window shopping done though. Proud of that.<br /><br />Back to Mallory Square. I was a baller in Mallory Square. Well, not really. The only place I am of baller status is at the Dollar Store. I'm like a boss in there. But I was almost like a boss in Mallory Square. I purchased a pretty little flower necklace, souvenir patches and a few other cute things to bring back to Pennsylvania.<br /><br />The Sponge Market, Shell Warehouse and Conch Store were like walking into a mermaid's lair. These stores were filled with such enchanting and gorgeous maritime anything and everything! I was awestruck by all the merchandise available. I spent a good amount of time in there browsing and cursing because I wanted to take everything home with me. I so much am going back to buy a conch shell next visit. I was too chicken to buy one this trip because I was afraid of my checked bag being overweight. I was so pissed when I found out I was actually 30 pounds underweight. Such a newbie to flying I was.<br /><br />Mallory Square is also home to the Shipwreck Museum, Key West Aquarium, Haunted Trolley Tours and The Conch Tour Train Station. I did none of these attractions. Haha. But, they are there. The little conch train was actually really cute chugging through the streets of Key West. It takes visitors on a little tour of the city. I think the price is a little high but I also think it could be worth it. It kind of&nbsp; reminded me of a smaller version of the Tram Car on the Wildwood, NJ boards. It was also 100% less annoying than the Wildwood Tram Car.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XkTMM7E93KQ/WXPnSlLtG2I/AAAAAAAAFZs/x9CeQf4jPM8CK76wQRObBnIuKQzb0_F7QCLcBGAs/s1600/18274935_10211244402539314_4293376522587728384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XkTMM7E93KQ/WXPnSlLtG2I/AAAAAAAAFZs/x9CeQf4jPM8CK76wQRObBnIuKQzb0_F7QCLcBGAs/s640/18274935_10211244402539314_4293376522587728384_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank you for welcoming us! Weeeeeeeee!!!&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMN-Y8NgF1Q/WXPoazf3anI/AAAAAAAAFZ4/l08UUBwJCd8_o4LpBZf3Cj6iqXR-ZwI7QCLcBGAs/s1600/18402676_10211251031545035_2680774212148469046_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMN-Y8NgF1Q/WXPoazf3anI/AAAAAAAAFZ4/l08UUBwJCd8_o4LpBZf3Cj6iqXR-ZwI7QCLcBGAs/s320/18402676_10211251031545035_2680774212148469046_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u___bOxSShc/WXPoefmWYAI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/E7iQB12FTlwIASHoU9WZkLxDm2_Xrg2cQCLcBGAs/s1600/b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u___bOxSShc/WXPoefmWYAI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/E7iQB12FTlwIASHoU9WZkLxDm2_Xrg2cQCLcBGAs/s320/b.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj79Ctg69dg/WXPovKxJ8UI/AAAAAAAAFaI/OnLfOQn5blYCTrylHaO45XzPzbHwcLaCQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301550_10211251032225052_1857507441627458148_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="960" height="243" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj79Ctg69dg/WXPovKxJ8UI/AAAAAAAAFaI/OnLfOQn5blYCTrylHaO45XzPzbHwcLaCQCLcBGAs/s400/18301550_10211251032225052_1857507441627458148_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beautiful items from the Shell Warehouse and Sponge Market.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-nrDRinUNk/WXPolQgdzsI/AAAAAAAAFaA/pULDwKR0CIoNnX-8CDT2OLXY1odjI0CRQCLcBGAs/s1600/18342080_10211251031465033_3182395240907159722_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-nrDRinUNk/WXPolQgdzsI/AAAAAAAAFaA/pULDwKR0CIoNnX-8CDT2OLXY1odjI0CRQCLcBGAs/s320/18342080_10211251031465033_3182395240907159722_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h966IIkn6vA/WXPooY3aYZI/AAAAAAAAFaE/piJDoBpw9F45sXcOoiS7HGmDMVS-VqgmQCLcBGAs/s1600/18342495_10211251031305029_8153239290525804864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h966IIkn6vA/WXPooY3aYZI/AAAAAAAAFaE/piJDoBpw9F45sXcOoiS7HGmDMVS-VqgmQCLcBGAs/s320/18342495_10211251031305029_8153239290525804864_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Shipwreck Museum and Haunted Trolley Ride.</b></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8s-_cOlDrIk/WXPqECQLvfI/AAAAAAAAFag/aeTrBbj3mC0QBZoiAZY3leDUzXLp3CttwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301510_10211250360568261_2747814157289462490_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8s-_cOlDrIk/WXPqECQLvfI/AAAAAAAAFag/aeTrBbj3mC0QBZoiAZY3leDUzXLp3CttwCLcBGAs/s640/18301510_10211250360568261_2747814157289462490_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All sorts of goodies for everyone all over Key West.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As for food, well if you like Key Lime and seafood, they Keys are right up your alley. Key Lime Pie shops are everywhere. Chances are you will come across several in just a few blocks radius. My Key Lime experience in Key West was nothing short of wonderful I must say. I documented it <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Seriously though, Key Lime is a certainly a part of the Florida Keys culture but do not worry if you are not a fan of Key Lime. There is honestly just about every dessert known to man available on this island. All of it looked so delicious too. I would love to try Better Than Sex desserts on my next visit. They serve sensual desserts with very clever names. They do not open until 6pm though, so it was not in the cards this trip.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_146F8h54g/WXPqPzNCn_I/AAAAAAAAFak/xFCIZI1mtg8GXkZcQOaKpImPddyWK5eywCLcBGAs/s1600/18275118_10211251131227527_6007909876497249135_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Six Toed Cat Cafe" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_146F8h54g/WXPqPzNCn_I/AAAAAAAAFak/xFCIZI1mtg8GXkZcQOaKpImPddyWK5eywCLcBGAs/s320/18275118_10211251131227527_6007909876497249135_n.jpg" title="The Six Toed Cat Cafe" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Six Toed Cat Cafe</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Breakfast is also a huge and very important meal in the Keys. A lot of locals, fishermen and tourists alike are out and about in the early morning hours. Whether it is sitting on a beach to catch the sun rising above the island, taking a bike ride through Old Town while the traffic is sparse or getting ready to head out for a day of water sports, nourishment is "key" in Key West. The breakfasts offered in Key West DO NOT disappoint.<br /><br />My family and I wanted to try Blue Heaven for breakfast but we happened upon the Six Toed Cafe a block away from the Hemingway House. We were planning to tour the house so, to me, this was a perfect starting point for a day of Polydactyl encounters. Also, a friend of mine highly recommended this cafe. He was dead on in his recommendation. While the meal, like most meals in Key West, was not cheap, every single thing we ordered was made from scratch and the portions were beyond huge!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NwVRrGJ7JPs/WXPqWcOCcJI/AAAAAAAAFao/NAVdNs1bIcg-XbjnX_uOheFEJs7fd5w5QCLcBGAs/s1600/18222146_10211248350958022_2778673651731027082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Six Toed Cat Cafe" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NwVRrGJ7JPs/WXPqWcOCcJI/AAAAAAAAFao/NAVdNs1bIcg-XbjnX_uOheFEJs7fd5w5QCLcBGAs/s320/18222146_10211248350958022_2778673651731027082_n.jpg" title="The Six Toed Cat Cafe" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Steak and Egg Burrito. The best I ever had!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>I chose the Steak and Egg Burrito. It was enormous. It was accompanied by homemade guacamole and homemade pico di gallo as well as homemade home fries. I am not a guacamole fan at all but I am a huge fan of the Six Toed Cat's guacamole. Holy guacamole deliciousness! The flavor was indescribable. I definitely tasted garlic, lime and avocado for sure but there was something else in it that just made it magical. I have no idea what though.<br /><br />My son ordered the biggest breakfast sandwich I had ever seen, along with fresh squeezed orange juice and my daughter's pancakes we not only huge, but they were not regular flour pancakes. They were more dense with an almost potato like flavor to them. Again, I have no clue what was in them but they were arguably the best pancakes I had ever sampled.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DuHXzkQefbA/WXPrjGrfEnI/AAAAAAAAFa8/WUa8O4PVixwPQAwZgYHFI8toroiScs0wQCLcBGAs/s1600/19437511_10211690323567061_1815654318086297871_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DuHXzkQefbA/WXPrjGrfEnI/AAAAAAAAFa8/WUa8O4PVixwPQAwZgYHFI8toroiScs0wQCLcBGAs/s320/19437511_10211690323567061_1815654318086297871_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Crph9Q-k3fw/WXPrn9Id3pI/AAAAAAAAFbA/WcOrrdE0b0MLw10-RK6KH3mmH6SVXcfzgCLcBGAs/s1600/18301962_10211253243960344_8975413401192309622_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Crph9Q-k3fw/WXPrn9Id3pI/AAAAAAAAFbA/WcOrrdE0b0MLw10-RK6KH3mmH6SVXcfzgCLcBGAs/s320/18301962_10211253243960344_8975413401192309622_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cupcake Sushi and Cupcakes. Key West is a dessert lover's dream!&nbsp;</b></div><br />Now let's talk seafood. Hogfish, Tilapia, Mahi Mahi, Grouper and Tuna are just a few of the popular fish dishes in Key West. I tried none of them. Haha. Maybe next time. Also, almost every menu I gazed upon had Key West pink shrimp and conch offered as a meal or appetizer. Pink Shrimp and Conch are also a big part of Key West culture. Again though, no worries if you are not a seafood fan. There are so many restaurants in Key West that have a wide variety of chicken, pork and beef dishes. There are also Italian, Cuban, Bahamanian, Thai, Chinese and Mexican restaurants on the island. In other words, just about every food known to man can be found in some form or other in Key West.<br /><br />Just keep in mind, you are going to pay more for hamburgers and other beef dinners in the Keys since it costs more to bring the beef down from the mainland. Cows grazing on the side of the road are an everyday sight when driving along the roads of Pennsylvania. They are everywhere. In the Keys, not so much. I did not gaze upon one cow during my visit. Not one. There may be cows in Key West but I certainly did not see one. I saw roosters.<br /><br />Roosters are as much a part of the Key West culture as sunsets, Hemingway, bicycling and Key Lime Pie. Roosters, hens and baby chicks are EVERYWHERE. I mean everywhere. And they are well loved by locals and tourists alike. God bless the person that messes with a Key West rooster. Most of the birds are used to being around people. We were a little nervous at first walking by some of the roosters because, like I said, they are everywhere. We didn't want to be attacked. And we weren't. They could care less about us walking by them. Only the babies were a little skittish around people but they are babies so it's understandable.<br /><br />&nbsp;I found it so unbelievably cool to see these birds living in harmony with their human peeps. Too fun!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYkwSu0xDbA/WXPqirTRaNI/AAAAAAAAFas/Wrs3F-oUG60GpoLsuOj6ZWq0Os-MLQVUwCLcBGAs/s1600/18342354_10211251130347505_5223041165008438055_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Duval Street" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYkwSu0xDbA/WXPqirTRaNI/AAAAAAAAFas/Wrs3F-oUG60GpoLsuOj6ZWq0Os-MLQVUwCLcBGAs/s320/18342354_10211251130347505_5223041165008438055_n.jpg" title="Funky Chicken Store" width="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1BD49bedzk/WXPqpVhtzII/AAAAAAAAFaw/FclqIVsn9mMijilk_vd7-bLBnLntZ8VzgCLcBGAs/s1600/18342303_10211251130707514_4464155208883859510_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Duval Street" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1BD49bedzk/WXPqpVhtzII/AAAAAAAAFaw/FclqIVsn9mMijilk_vd7-bLBnLntZ8VzgCLcBGAs/s320/18342303_10211251130707514_4464155208883859510_n.jpg" title="Funky Chicken Store" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Roosters of Duval Street! Tres Chic</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlHrQjKs-Ow/WXPq6EFTdaI/AAAAAAAAFa0/c4EAna8w28cf2-eEFHlxRlQsGT5_5Xe2ACLcBGAs/s1600/18301865_10211251130387506_6182957600281468764_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KlHrQjKs-Ow/WXPq6EFTdaI/AAAAAAAAFa0/c4EAna8w28cf2-eEFHlxRlQsGT5_5Xe2ACLcBGAs/s320/18301865_10211251130387506_6182957600281468764_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awzTXdUZIzQ/WXPq83CmTDI/AAAAAAAAFa4/mwjRvj2iIN8-o2OjC1bPhAvo3ULGHmixQCLcBGAs/s1600/18222494_10211243975128629_536459142240592964_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="714" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awzTXdUZIzQ/WXPq83CmTDI/AAAAAAAAFa4/mwjRvj2iIN8-o2OjC1bPhAvo3ULGHmixQCLcBGAs/s320/18222494_10211243975128629_536459142240592964_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of the many roosters we encountered on our trip.&nbsp;</b></div><br />In closing, my visit to Key West was everything I imagined and then some. I will certainly be visiting Key West again. I fell completely in love with it. Even if I go down alone for a long weekend I will definitely be visiting again. I found my place to stay in Sugarloaf Key. It is only ten minutes north of Key West and 15 minutes south from No Name Key. &nbsp;There is so much I have yet to experience there. I would like to put some extra dough aside to really dive in and make it a total culinary adventure! Maybe I will even ride the conch train and try some hogfish. Who knows?<br />Until then, it's not goodbye, it's just see ya later!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-large;">Key West Hot Spots</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Taylor" target="_blank">Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/" target="_blank">Truman Little White House</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.mallorysquare.com/" target="_blank">Mallory Square</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.keywestbutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/" target="_blank">Hemingway House</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.liveduvalstreet.com/" target="_blank">Duval Street</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FunkyChickenStore/" target="_blank">Funky Chicken Store</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SixToedCat/" target="_blank">Six Toed Cat Cafe</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.keywestcakes.com/" target="_blank">Key West Cakes</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://key-lime-pie-bakery.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Cupcake Sushi</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://key-lime-pie-bakery.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Key Lime Pie Bakery and Coconut Factory</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.fla-keys.com/key-west/" target="_blank">Key West Travel Guide</a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg7gs_3KPwg/WXPyX1FHDhI/AAAAAAAAFbY/Kpos4IUqz9Ur1z8BJqnZgMLPLuVSE-UuQCLcBGAs/s1600/18425463_10211276974433591_7449197932851288935_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg7gs_3KPwg/WXPyX1FHDhI/AAAAAAAAFbY/Kpos4IUqz9Ur1z8BJqnZgMLPLuVSE-UuQCLcBGAs/s320/18425463_10211276974433591_7449197932851288935_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-85000897322103209832017-07-30T17:29:00.002-07:002017-07-30T17:29:16.618-07:00#221 Try ConchConch. I have always heard about people rave about conch fritters.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtQhlDb2lpc/WX52aUtrBRI/AAAAAAAAFeo/_CgPr-mNIhA5eHwV20MGhwBF4AO7HbSNgCLcBGAs/s1600/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtQhlDb2lpc/WX52aUtrBRI/AAAAAAAAFeo/_CgPr-mNIhA5eHwV20MGhwBF4AO7HbSNgCLcBGAs/s400/a.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Conch Shells. I love their sunrise colors.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Hmmmmmm. I must try this thing called conch I told myself. You don't really see it offered much in Pennsylvania though. I always figured eventually I would come across conch on a menu somewhere and give it a go. So when I saw that conch was a huge part of the Florida Keys culture, I was so stoked! I was going to finally try conch! I could not wait. I even picked out a place to try conch fritters in Key West. BO's Fishwagon. I was all set.<br /><br />So here is what I knew about conch.....Nothing. I knew nothing. I "thought" I knew what conch was but in reality, I did not. I thought it was a type of crustacean. Nope! It's a mollusk. See below.<br /><br />I often wondered if conch tasted more sweet like king crab or more chewy like a crawfish. Maybe it tasted more like lobster I thought with much excitement. I love shellfish so I am sure no matter what it tasted like, I was going to enjoy it. However, a few weeks before leaving for Florida, I was slapped in the face with the cold hard truth. It went down like this. I was sitting at my parents' kitchen table telling them and my daughter about how excited I was to try conch. I was going to achieve another Bucket List goal. This was so awesome! I'm checking them off like flies!<br /><br />My mother and my daughter both looked at me weird. One of them asked if I was really going to eat snail. I looked at them puzzled. I said no. I was going to eat Conch, which is crabmeat. They snickered at me. They both insisted Conch was a snail. I insisted it was crabmeat. A Conch is a type of crab. They were like no, it's not. I was like yes, it is. They were like no, it's not. I was like yes, it is. This went on for a few rounds because I am a Virgo so by default, I am always right. Then my daughter pulled up a picture of a Conch on Google. She handed me her phone and I almost puked in my mouth. WTF??<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s7GDvugbwJk/WX53mn7xPrI/AAAAAAAAFew/Qy64u54xe5E4iYYoscuoH8mEiRwUIxvzACLcBGAs/s1600/eeeee.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="500" height="174" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s7GDvugbwJk/WX53mn7xPrI/AAAAAAAAFew/Qy64u54xe5E4iYYoscuoH8mEiRwUIxvzACLcBGAs/s320/eeeee.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My face upon discovering what conch was.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>"That's some sort of giant sea snail!!" I exclaimed. "Gross!!"<br /><br />Why in the hell did I think conch was a crab? I must have gotten tripped up on one the the Food Network shows that had both crab and conch. I saw little breaded fried balls with a crab like meat mixed in them and I could have sworn the host, I think it was Bobby Flay, call them conch fritters. Maybe they were really fried crabmeat balls. OMG! I was so confused and nauseous and WRONG!! I seriously felt my body grow cold as another wave of nausea flowed through me.<br /><br />"I can't eat that!" I said, devastated. "It's a freakin' sea snail! A sea snail!!" I could not get the picture of the slimy creature donning a huge pink shell out of my head. They were all laughing at me. However, my daughter also apologized for ruining conch on me. I reassured her she didn't ruin it on me. I was thankful I found out what it was before I spent $10- $12 expecting crabmeat-like fritters only to discover I was about to eat snail fritters.<br /><br />From that day forward, I whined to everyone who would listen, even if they didn't want to listen, about this whole sea snail fiasco. I was genuinely upset, for real. I was looking forward to delicious crab meat like fritters and I was going to be denied. My heart could not, would not, catch up with my head. My whole world had turned upside down. I was a total mess.<br /><br />Eventually I got over it after doing some research and finding a really sweet doughnut place I could visit in Key West. Just wave a really good doughnut in front of this gal's face and all is good with the world. It has to be a well made doughnut though. None of that cardboard tasting crap is welcomed in my world. (Turns out the doughnut place was closed on Mondays, the morning I was in Key West. Another devastation. Another upside down world. Another reason I have to go back to Key West.) Anyways, like I said, I got over it. Mostly I got over it because whenever I thought of conch my stomach would turn. I hated that feeling so, I stopped thinking about it.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaecyGJfIJs/WX530lSB9QI/AAAAAAAAFe0/gYTqAvTSjuguTzHljvioVyVx_-JapwWlACLcBGAs/s1600/18403669_10211260877551179_7167456177899474129_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaecyGJfIJs/WX530lSB9QI/AAAAAAAAFe0/gYTqAvTSjuguTzHljvioVyVx_-JapwWlACLcBGAs/s320/18403669_10211260877551179_7167456177899474129_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cool Asian wine in a Cuban grocery store.&nbsp;</b></td></tr></tbody></table>It was on our second to last day in the Keys that we visited 5 Brothers Two Cuban grocery store for some breakfast in Ramrod Key. So many people on Trip Advisor had raved about 5 Brothers in Key West. It was so popular they opened a second store in Ramrod Key. I was all too willing to visit not only because of the stellar reviews but also because of the prices. Eating cheaply in the Keys is possible but very hard. You miss out on a lot of local cuisine. I do plan to go back and focus on enjoying more of the great local cuisine.<br /><br />Anyways, The grocery store itself was a simple bodega. They had some staple groceries, wines and cold beverages. They also had a counter and a big menu board displaying their breakfast and lunch offerings. The menu was simple, nothing too elaborate. But small, simple menus are often a good thing. ( Not always but often.) A small menu usually means the restaurant has really fresh ingredients or ingredients that don't sit on the shelves or in the freezer too long. Rather than focus energy on making a ton of mediocre dishes, a small menu usually means the cooks focus on making a few really "wow" specialties. 5 Brothers made some really "wow" food.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Y_z0sTC3UQ/WX54P1y1y6I/AAAAAAAAFfE/m_HC-NGs9zUCndF4V2S92PpImqsHSOqQgCLcBGAs/s1600/18342117_10211260794029091_5966837222171304163_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Y_z0sTC3UQ/WX54P1y1y6I/AAAAAAAAFfE/m_HC-NGs9zUCndF4V2S92PpImqsHSOqQgCLcBGAs/s400/18342117_10211260794029091_5966837222171304163_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The kiddos enjoying a delicious Cuban breakfast at this gem.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The line for placing breakfast orders was pretty big for such a small place in a Key that if you blinked, you may miss it. I noticed they had conch fritters on the menu. $4.95 for a small order and $7.95 for a large order. That wasn't a bad price I thought to myself. I wouldn't mind paying $5 for something I may hate. It would definitely be less painful than paying $10 or higher.<br /><br />A giant sea snail with a big pink and peach shell inched it's way across my mind as I debated whether or not to take a chance. I didn't feel like puking this time. Maybe it was because I had been gazing upon so many beautiful conch shells in all the stores I had visited over the past few days. Something with such a pretty shell couldn't taste that bad could it? Perhaps not. I hadn't removed trying conch from my Bucket List.<br /><br />I had planned too, but then decided not to until after this trip, just in case I got brave. As I stood in line waiting to place my order, the debate went on in my head for a few moments. I openly discussed it with my daughter. My son was getting a pressed bacon and cheese sandwich on this beautiful Cuban bread that reminded me of the round, wide loaves of Italian bread. My daughter wanted a chicken empanada. I definitely wanted to try a Cafe Con Leche. ( I will get to that shortly.) I decided just to get a chicken empanada too. I do love empanadas very much and the ones being offered looked delish.<br /><br />I guess I will be removing conch from the list I told myself. My mouth had other plans though. When it was my turn to order, I ordered everything listed above but tacked on a small serving of conch fritters. The lady glanced up at me and made a weird face. I think it was because I was making a weird face. "Where the hell did that come from?" I thought to myself. I guess the adventurous personality made a quick appearance to place an order as well. Who knows?<br /><br />She asked me if I would like anything else. I paused a moment, waiting to see if any of my other personalities wanted to place an order too. Just kidding. I told her I was good. Was I though? I turned to my daughter and informed her that I guess I was going to try conch. She laughed. She is used to my madness. Both my kiddos are. This was really going down I told myself. I had to try at least one since I paid for them.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QuDGhtOuxf4/WX53-aV7UlI/AAAAAAAAFe4/giIH9G9Ggmom4ieDLkYE-tzAXpl3uSGHgCLcBGAs/s1600/18485637_10211291192189026_6741801892730497682_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QuDGhtOuxf4/WX53-aV7UlI/AAAAAAAAFe4/giIH9G9Ggmom4ieDLkYE-tzAXpl3uSGHgCLcBGAs/s320/18485637_10211291192189026_6741801892730497682_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cafe Con Leche, how I love you!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>When our order was finished, the nice lady handed me our food in a brown paper bag. I also got my Caffe Con Leche. We walked outside and took a seat on some of the benches. I opened the bag of food. It smelled so good. So very good. I passed out the food my daughter and son ordered. I decided to sip my coffee before looking at my fritters. I had no idea I was about to taste heaven. This Cafe Con Leche was nothing short of divine.<br /><br />It was creamy. It was strong but not too strong. The flavor was deep and smooth. It had a sweetness to it but it was not sugary sweet. I immediately fell in love with this Cuban concoction. I also immediately kicked myself for waiting 3 days to try it. Cuban coffee stands were all over the Florida Keys. I had every intention of trying some of them too but it was a jam packed vacation and I also wanted ot have my relaxation time at night. so I allowed the opportunity to slip.<br /><br />After a few moments of swooning over my coffee, I reluctantly opened the paper bag with my conch fritters. The aroma hit me immediately. The smelled amazing. The looked and smelled like hush puppies. I love hush puppies. The fritters were accompanied by a ramekin of cocktail sauce. I was still a little uneasy trying one but their aroma and appearance out my mind at ease. I snatched one out of the bag.<br /><br />I took a deep breath and took a bite. Holy F they were still hot. I began doing that weird breathing thing people do when they have really hot food in their mouth. It's kind of like, you don't want to spit out the food but you are trying to cool your mouth down while the scalding hot food lay on your tongue. I began chewing. It tasted just like a hush puppy. Is there even a snail in here I thought? I held the fritter I just took a bite out of up to my face. I began examining the inside. I didn't see anything.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pyjE1YAWg7Q/WX54E_HFyuI/AAAAAAAAFe8/uQ1bHRh0w8wewh2dp2mwZIWwK_kG4ktrgCLcBGAs/s1600/18425017_10211257284861364_183238982816083565_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="714" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pyjE1YAWg7Q/WX54E_HFyuI/AAAAAAAAFe8/uQ1bHRh0w8wewh2dp2mwZIWwK_kG4ktrgCLcBGAs/s320/18425017_10211257284861364_183238982816083565_n.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1v8xaw_R4JM/WX54IcFB_tI/AAAAAAAAFfA/NYQh7twv9pwCOeCMOu1QkEDVvU0-bdeZgCLcBGAs/s1600/18425074_10211260797669182_3924162654027543057_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1v8xaw_R4JM/WX54IcFB_tI/AAAAAAAAFfA/NYQh7twv9pwCOeCMOu1QkEDVvU0-bdeZgCLcBGAs/s320/18425074_10211260797669182_3924162654027543057_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Conch Fritters.....Like Hush Puppies, but with chopped up snails.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I grabbed another fritter from the bag and tore it in half, peering at it, looking for a snail. I noticed chopped little tan chunks mixed in with the dough. That must be it. I ate half of the fritter I just tore open. I noticed it then. The conch was chewy like a chopped clam or calamari. ( I do not like calamari.) It tasted almost like a scallop. At least that is what came to mind. I did enjoy scallops. Truth is, I love mollusks too.<br /><br />I love scallops, clams, and muscles. I do not care for whole oysters but if they are chopped up in a stew or a dip I don't mind them so much. These fritters were actually really flavorful and tasty. I enjoyed them. They also filled me up. I only ate three of the six fritters. I gave my daughter my empanada because between the rich and fabulous coffee and the heavy but tasty fritters, I was good.<br /><br />I made myself eat one more fritter because I knew I couldn't bring fried seafood in the car with me. It would stink. Neither kiddo wanted anything to do with the other two fritters so reluctantly, I threw them away. I will say though, they were not at all horrible. I was pleasantly surprised. Is conch something I will crave like I do clams? No. Not at all. However, when I visit the Keys again, I will definitely make sure to visit BOs Fishwagon and try their famous conch fritters.<br /><br /><span style="color: #7f6000;">Five Brothers on Trip Advisor. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34345-d512814-Reviews-5_Brothers_Grocery_Sandwich_Shop-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html" target="_blank">Key West</a> and <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1091012-d1913504-Reviews-Five_Brothers_Grocery_Two-Ramrod_Key_Florida_Keys_Florida.html" target="_blank">Ramrod Key</a>.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BnVTuQ3jvpo/WX54WnUz-GI/AAAAAAAAFfI/tRO7Vc5brMEnK6tU78cY0KoikMxY2mjKgCLcBGAs/s1600/18301906_10211240613044579_5000242176887539345_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BnVTuQ3jvpo/WX54WnUz-GI/AAAAAAAAFfI/tRO7Vc5brMEnK6tU78cY0KoikMxY2mjKgCLcBGAs/s320/18301906_10211240613044579_5000242176887539345_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-80068462263769461242017-07-20T21:09:00.000-07:002017-07-23T09:40:50.247-07:00#129 Watch The Sun Set And Rise In One Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YEjF9kisYrk/WXQDPLxxTEI/AAAAAAAAFb0/ZFPepKcVkS8nbhIJyft464tF6lLDmhMzwCLcBGAs/s1600/db384548fd638e14e57dfd2383cc275e.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YEjF9kisYrk/WXQDPLxxTEI/AAAAAAAAFb0/ZFPepKcVkS8nbhIJyft464tF6lLDmhMzwCLcBGAs/s320/db384548fd638e14e57dfd2383cc275e.png" width="320" /></a></div>Life has most of us running non stop. Life has many of us stressed out, tapped out and maxed out. And in the midst of life's chaotic whirlwind, we may find ourselves misplacing the person we once were, becoming another lost soul, another forgotten identity. We may not even realize just how much we have allowed ourselves to become absorbed into the atmosphere and abyss of our day to day lives. You may very well wake up one day and ask yourself "What the hell happened?" "Who the hell have I become?"<br /><br />Not all Bucket List items have to be grand adventures, risky endeavors or elaborate travels. Sometimes we need to add goals to our lists that we may take for granted on a daily basis. Sometimes we need to add character building goals, enrichment goals and baby step goals to our lists. Sometimes we need to add reminders to our list. Reminders of who we truly are deep down inside. Reminders that call out to our souls, bringing us back to ourselves.<br /><br />I understand some people are very Anti-Bucket List and that is all good. Different strokes for different folks. I understand some people do not write down their goals. Rather, they keep a mental list. I envy those people a little because sometimes I forget my own birth date. I have to write stuff down. Anyways, for me, this list is very close to my heart. This list is a necessity for my own well being. Will I accomplish all of it? Hell no. LOL! There is no way. I'm not a Millionaire. I'm not even a Hundred Thousandnaire. Not even close.<br /><br />But, when the demons start filling my head and the light goes dim the end of the tunnel, which is something I will battle for the rest of my life, I look at this list and say hey, this little one right here, I can do this one. Let's get off our ass and do it. Let's create our own light in this dark tunnel. And you know what......it works. Don't get me wrong. I love my life and would not trade places with anyone for anything. I mean that too. The power of the blessings in my life will always overcome the power of my hardships, no matter how exhausted they make me.<br /><br />I love the woman I have become. I am proud of her. I don't want to be anybody but her. Am I hard on her sometimes? Sure. I have to be. But I adore her too. And no matter how hard anyone tries, and they do try, I will never let someone make me feel bad about myself ever again. I'm too strong. I've been through too much. And, I survived it all, on my own. Once I figured out how to create my own light, I knew I was gonna be just fine. I know what to do now when the demons outstay their welcome. No one has to understand but me.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s9ZlnXDbA4I/WXQWr7FGPyI/AAAAAAAAFcE/4yRjDlrHr7Q8DzmAho3qOVrbMtzL8FpoQCLcBGAs/s1600/sunrise-and-sunset-quote-1-picture-quote-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s9ZlnXDbA4I/WXQWr7FGPyI/AAAAAAAAFcE/4yRjDlrHr7Q8DzmAho3qOVrbMtzL8FpoQCLcBGAs/s320/sunrise-and-sunset-quote-1-picture-quote-1.png" width="320" /></a></div>So here is where we start this one.<br /><br />Sunrise. Sunset. Many of us have seen the sun set and rise a thousand times.<br /><br />Many of us have taken the time to appreciate both of these magnificent events numerous times.<br /><br />I know this. Every year hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of sunrises and sunsets fill my Facebook feed. And I love every single photo posted. These stunning photos fill me with warmth, positive vibes and hope for the human race. The beauty of these photos encourage pause in my day by interrupting the spinning of my brain for a few moments. Lord knows I am so grateful for those pauses.<br /><br />Each photo breathes a calmness into me that is much needed. My life is not an easy one, never has been really, so I do make every effort to stop and smell the roses every opportunity I can. The little things in life are a huge part of who I am as a person. The challenges and hardships I face in this life will not defeat me as long as I have sweet, wonderful, little things to appreciate and enjoy. Yes, how I handle the challenges and hardships is also a huge part of who I am but the little things are a big reason why I am a happy person in spite of what this life throws at me.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3LCPCsqecCw/WXQYYS4q1BI/AAAAAAAAFcg/Uj0XePv5SwIEB1_BD6DIJC1eLA-JXbHnACLcBGAs/s1600/8a8d4cb1dc972ff906e4f4cc4ad5f3af.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3LCPCsqecCw/WXQYYS4q1BI/AAAAAAAAFcg/Uj0XePv5SwIEB1_BD6DIJC1eLA-JXbHnACLcBGAs/s400/8a8d4cb1dc972ff906e4f4cc4ad5f3af.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>People watch the sun set and the sun rise over a 24 hour period daily, especially in the winter. The purpose for adding this goal to my Bucket List was simple. I wanted to enjoy and admire both of these beautiful events within a 24 hour period to the fullest, rather than while driving to and from work. I wanted to leisurely witness the sun crawl under the blanket of the western horizon, then arise from the covers of the eastern horizon.<br /><br />Sometimes I will fall asleep on one side of the bed, then wake up sprawled out diagonally across the bottom of the bed completely opposite from where I first fell asleep. I never remember how that comes to be but I always wake befuddled by this phenomena. I mean how can I not know that I moved that much in my sleep? This weird sleeping event, although rare, usually occurs in the summer months. This paragraph also has absolutely nothing to do with this blog.<br /><br />I did not have a specific place planned for where this goal was to be achieved but I knew it had to be attempted in spring, summer or fall. Winter was too easy and, too cold. Honestly though, this goal was too easy to accomplish in any season, or so I thought. Can you believe I've attempted to achieve this goal several times unsuccessfully? I could not get my ass out of bed the morning after the sunset. I have always been a night owl at heart but there are phases of my life where I become this crazy, awake before the birds, morning person and I love it!<br /><br />It doesn't last long, usually happens in the spring and autumn for a few weekends, but I love it. I enjoy being a morning person but it is just not natural to me. Maybe when I am a senior citizen I will become a morning person. I hope so! Anyways, I did not plan on accomplishing this goal while in Key West, it kind of just happened naturally and unexpectedly. No one was more shocked than me when I found myself wide awake before the sun rose the morning after a long and exciting day of driving the <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank">Overseas Highway</a>, stopping at several Keys, watching the sunset in Mallory Square, then going for a late night swim.<br /><br />I just woke up naturally. I felt amazing too. I was not at all groggy. I was only going on 5 hours sleep but I felt great. I decided to go sit on my second floor balcony and watch the sunrise. But, let's talk about the sunset first. That was totally planned. Everyone I knew that had visited Key West had "Sunset from Mallory Square" as a must do recommendation for my visit to Key West.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8ZIpMIu4Ho/WXQW3OHKp1I/AAAAAAAAFcI/W7IXaqFh30E4s-wY_DUkbXn1pJYd7PiUQCLcBGAs/s1600/18274935_10211244402539314_4293376522587728384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y8ZIpMIu4Ho/WXQW3OHKp1I/AAAAAAAAFcI/W7IXaqFh30E4s-wY_DUkbXn1pJYd7PiUQCLcBGAs/s640/18274935_10211244402539314_4293376522587728384_n.jpg" title="Mallory Square" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunset is a wonderful reason to celebrate!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I can understand now, why it was so highly recommended. Mallory Square is just a cool, cool place. Shops, kiosks, and stands offering goods and foods surround the perimeter of the square. The square itself was a huge, wide open space paved with brick and stone. Performers, artisans, craft stands, fortune tellers and tons of roosters were scattered about the square. I am pretty sure the roosters were there to watch the sunset too. I mean, they are locals so obviously they knew the best spots on the island to watch the sunset.<br /><br />Mallory Square was the place to be. How could so many roosters be wrong? Hundreds of people and roosters wandered the square, mulling about, checking out the action. I spotted a rooster standing in line waiting for his fortune to be read. Seriously! A lady was reading someone their cards and this rooster was standing in line, watching intently, as the women spoke about the cards she had drawn. It was hilarious!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUAzkASxLOg/WXQXrdYEUJI/AAAAAAAAFcY/tDN1KqRiVjkOwnZiTjCMeph3sOGvnJqhACLcBGAs/s1600/18301345_10211251029704989_6937696418943827638_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="960" height="186" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUAzkASxLOg/WXQXrdYEUJI/AAAAAAAAFcY/tDN1KqRiVjkOwnZiTjCMeph3sOGvnJqhACLcBGAs/s200/18301345_10211251029704989_6937696418943827638_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llQ7UMs-Hyk/WXQXt1X12YI/AAAAAAAAFcc/fJ3M0GIIJXo7rFrUVpM_aNgmt1eykFLiQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301273_10211251029744990_16825408958130931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="865" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-llQ7UMs-Hyk/WXQXt1X12YI/AAAAAAAAFcc/fJ3M0GIIJXo7rFrUVpM_aNgmt1eykFLiQCLcBGAs/s200/18301273_10211251029744990_16825408958130931_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of the hens and chicks of Mallory Square.</b></div><br />We made our way over to the little wall by the water. People were perched up and down this wall for what seemed like a mile. We found a spot near a railing to stand. We gazed out into the water and the sky. Directly across from us sat Sunset Key. &nbsp;The name was perfect because from Mallory Square, it seemed as if the sun was going to sink into the island itself. Sailboats were making their way into the waters between Mallory Square and Sunset Key. They were beautiful boats, some with huge masts.<br /><br />All of a sudden we heard this loud splash. We turn around to see a teenage girl had fallen off the wall and into the water near a little bridge that connected the square to a hotel. Thankfully she could swim and was laughing about it. I was a little envious of her because the water was completely turquoise, just like that of a swimming pool rather than an ocean. It must have felt so refreshing. Once we all knew she was okay, we turned our attention back to the sky. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N38aNvGjlPk/WXQXGJJY0AI/AAAAAAAAFcQ/HOrxK1ZsX2IwCv2vD-sg3ueO1LNzaLjFgCLcBGAs/s1600/18301936_10211251029784991_785115318935744310_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N38aNvGjlPk/WXQXGJJY0AI/AAAAAAAAFcQ/HOrxK1ZsX2IwCv2vD-sg3ueO1LNzaLjFgCLcBGAs/s200/18301936_10211251029784991_785115318935744310_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBPlsIPLdM/WXQXX2oqmgI/AAAAAAAAFcU/6EiVEielSa8eHbWIw3nZ8Agq1G0d4maTQCLcBGAs/s1600/18301074_10211251030064998_8460998555091988470_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBPlsIPLdM/WXQXX2oqmgI/AAAAAAAAFcU/6EiVEielSa8eHbWIw3nZ8Agq1G0d4maTQCLcBGAs/s200/18301074_10211251030064998_8460998555091988470_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The water was seriously this color. I could not take my eyes off of it!</b></div><br />The sun was a gigantic yellow ball of fire slowly descending from the sky. It was huge! It turned the entire sky surrounding it a deep golden hue. I have never seen the sun look more glorious than it was in that moment. It was beyond breathtaking. I snapped a few pictures but knew they would not do the moment any justice. If you have ever witnessed the sun setting over Key West you would understand just how spectacular it can be. <br /><br />We stood there for ten minutes, watching the slow descent. Once the sun kissed the top of the treeline of Sunset Key, it was the perfect opportunity to depart Mallory Square and watch the sky turn it's gorgeous pink and grey from the Overseas Highway. As we walked out of the square and back through the shops and attractions. it was like we had Key West to ourselves. It was a ghost town. Everyone was still in the square. It was so cool!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eBPKRj7rPq0/WXQY3nvPvSI/AAAAAAAAFck/-Yv4XlsiuAcpboOcvIR6skpRPnX5wdm8wCLcBGAs/s1600/19554774_10211690326767141_4463301019415766313_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eBPKRj7rPq0/WXQY3nvPvSI/AAAAAAAAFck/-Yv4XlsiuAcpboOcvIR6skpRPnX5wdm8wCLcBGAs/s400/19554774_10211690326767141_4463301019415766313_n.jpg" title="Sunset" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjMlBdn4QTw/WXQZA8KydmI/AAAAAAAAFcs/BOk7cDdovaA7pWQl-1-uMh13ny8owTV2ACLcBGAs/s1600/18424082_10211251032505059_76438688018633854_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunset Key" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjMlBdn4QTw/WXQZA8KydmI/AAAAAAAAFcs/BOk7cDdovaA7pWQl-1-uMh13ny8owTV2ACLcBGAs/s400/18424082_10211251032505059_76438688018633854_n.jpg" title="Sunset" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WksaPsOx38s/WXQZFM1Dw7I/AAAAAAAAFcw/zAdAfPPc3g0riYJngn-vTGJIj7f223u1ACLcBGAs/s1600/18300954_10211251032465058_6835443323083340911_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mallory Square" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WksaPsOx38s/WXQZFM1Dw7I/AAAAAAAAFcw/zAdAfPPc3g0riYJngn-vTGJIj7f223u1ACLcBGAs/s400/18300954_10211251032465058_6835443323083340911_n.jpg" title="Sunset" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The huge beautiful sun, setting over Sunset Key. What a spectacular sight!</b></div><br />We made our way back to the car and headed back the the hotel. The sky was just beautiful. The pink and the palm trees made for a beautiful sunset. I felt so at peace. I felt so happy. The highway did not have much traffic on it which was also nice. We stopped at a Publix then grabbed a pizza at the hotel. We finished the beautiful evening by admiring the night sky from the pool at our hotel. What a perfect day!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRdrd-d5y0A/WXQa5JHgpRI/AAAAAAAAFdE/nJjSI4LvdFkCQj2goWQPgeCJVZuB0YHZgCLcBGAs/s1600/18275168_10211244931912548_4465554362965550256_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="714" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRdrd-d5y0A/WXQa5JHgpRI/AAAAAAAAFdE/nJjSI4LvdFkCQj2goWQPgeCJVZuB0YHZgCLcBGAs/s320/18275168_10211244931912548_4465554362965550256_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I love swimming at night!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>I don't know if the night swim had both relaxed and revitalized me at the same time but I slept wonderfully and woke feeling amazing.....at 4:30 in the morning. That never happens. I guess when you have no worries and stresses and are in a beautiful place making one of your dreams come true, your mind calms down and can focus on just being happy and serene. Why couldn't every day be like this I thought.<br /><br />I decided to slip out the sliding glass doors onto the balcony to enjoy the darkness before the light. I sat in the lounge chair listening to the sounds of a few creatures that call Sugarloaf Key home. I was so contented. My breathing was good. My head was uncluttered. My soul was peaceful. I grabbed my phone from the room and began looking at all the picture I had taken of the previous day. The smile on my face was so pure and genuine.<br /><br />My photo gazing was interrupted by the sound of a splash in the water. I looked up to see a faint light creeping into the dark sky. I could see water rippling in the middle of the canal. Then I heard another splash. Then another. Finally I caught a glimpse of a big fish jumping out of the water. Guess he was trying to catch bugs hovering near the water. I sat there, amused, trying to catch more and more glimpses of this fish.<br /><br />The sun was now rising over the canal. The clouds were shadowed a dark grey color. They hung above a deep pink horizon near the water. The pink of the horizon faded into a pale golden color the further the sky rose from the water line. The gold was topped with almost a translucent white before turning into a grayish blue. As the sky lightened, the reflection of the clouds lay upon the water as if it were an unblemished mirror.<br /><br />It appeared as if the entire sky, with all of it's stunning colors, was actually underneath the water, that is how perfectly still the canal waters were. I could not take my eyes off of this spectacular view. I was entranced and enchanted with every single fabulous detail surrounding this sunrise. Occasionally the big fish would make another leap out of the water, and there were a few little circular ripples near the edge of the canal, perhaps turtles or little fish, but other than that, there wasn't a single stir.<br /><br />As the day grew lighter, I could see an egret walking along the marshes in the middle of the canal. Another one soon joined him. Perhaps they were looking for little fishes hiding in the sea grass. I guess there were parts of the canal further out, where the egrets were standing that were not deep. I know the water right next to the hotel was very deep. It dropped off immediately. It had to be at least 30 feet but maybe even deeper. You could not see the bottom at all. I am also not an expert in gauging water depth so 30 feet was just a random number that popped in my head.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SGZaGwSIDys/WXQb3Wl9HtI/AAAAAAAAFdY/t4c7jIy55bklc-iR9cjkogYy4Oief35DACLcBGAs/s1600/18301779_10211251126707414_3860368346907779432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sugarloaf Key" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SGZaGwSIDys/WXQb3Wl9HtI/AAAAAAAAFdY/t4c7jIy55bklc-iR9cjkogYy4Oief35DACLcBGAs/s400/18301779_10211251126707414_3860368346907779432_n.jpg" title="Sunrise" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uP_P8pYBtGE/WXQbaVXZjjI/AAAAAAAAFdI/ndvHr91h6JMAs1FqN8akWCRq3KxjRcbTwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301361_10211251126667413_5445086080242188417_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sugarloaf Key" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uP_P8pYBtGE/WXQbaVXZjjI/AAAAAAAAFdI/ndvHr91h6JMAs1FqN8akWCRq3KxjRcbTwCLcBGAs/s400/18301361_10211251126667413_5445086080242188417_n.jpg" title="Sunrise" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_5q1XuwDbc/WXQblb06WWI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/_N9WDBnFanQlCNX8bG48IFQKnljL7v4rACLcBGAs/s1600/18402722_10211251126987421_9038482145968469394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sugarloaf Key" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_5q1XuwDbc/WXQblb06WWI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/_N9WDBnFanQlCNX8bG48IFQKnljL7v4rACLcBGAs/s400/18402722_10211251126987421_9038482145968469394_n.jpg" title="Sunrise" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWzxT2DlYmE/WXQbp5PCHrI/AAAAAAAAFdU/08INnnbmouEhsQy1jV6biiT7Fnjdpl89QCLcBGAs/s1600/18342767_10211251127027422_7304170919292756288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sugarloaf Key" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWzxT2DlYmE/WXQbp5PCHrI/AAAAAAAAFdU/08INnnbmouEhsQy1jV6biiT7Fnjdpl89QCLcBGAs/s400/18342767_10211251127027422_7304170919292756288_n.jpg" title="Sugarloaf Key" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Watching the sunrise in Sugarloaf Key. Nothing short of gorgeous!</b></div><br />Eventually both kiddos made their way onto the patio, also amazed that I was awake so early. We all took some time to admire the beauty of the sunrise. It was almost 6:00 am by this point. I sat outside a little longer. I did not want this moment to end. To experience both the sunset and sunrise in one of the most beautiful places I had ever visited was so incredible to me. Unwittingly, I had accomplished another bucket list item. I love those ones that sneak up on you unexpectedly. They are sometimes the best accomplishments.<br /><br />We started getting ready for another day of adventures. We had a <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">buoy</a> to visit and more of Key West to experience. We headed down to the Tiki Bar for some very good complimentary coffee and hot chocolate. I could not wait to take in more of the atmosphere and culture of the Florida Keys. It had been an incredible journey thus far. I was making memories and moments I will never forget for the rest of my life. The sunrises and sunsets in this life I call my own I will not take for granted ever again.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWbOH8IXPwM/WXQcqN2pByI/AAAAAAAAFdg/7chq4Q0Ftow8gFIWljK6tFaKWRmp8pxlQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402927_10211252856510658_7413549485084465378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWbOH8IXPwM/WXQcqN2pByI/AAAAAAAAFdg/7chq4Q0Ftow8gFIWljK6tFaKWRmp8pxlQCLcBGAs/s400/18402927_10211252856510658_7413549485084465378_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-73969782860331653642017-07-20T16:39:00.002-07:002017-07-20T16:39:35.749-07:00#19 Visit A Butterfly Sanctuary<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cmBtjLUvIAg/WW6OIvidmHI/AAAAAAAAFVk/11gVlupbC300UIMR0--3YVTmqAQfuaOfACLcBGAs/s1600/i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cmBtjLUvIAg/WW6OIvidmHI/AAAAAAAAFVk/11gVlupbC300UIMR0--3YVTmqAQfuaOfACLcBGAs/s320/i.jpg" title="Blue Clipper Butterfly" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Clipper Butterfly</td></tr></tbody></table>And butterflies are free to fly. Fly away, bye bye.<br /><br />The butterfly is a very symbolic creature to me for many reasons. <br /><br />Butterflies remind me that beauty can be born from even the ugliest of circumstances.<br />Butterflies remind me that at any moment, I can spread my wings and fly away from anything.<br />Butterflies remind me that I have free will.<br />Butterflies remind me not to apologize for my free spirited and gypsy ways.<br />Butterflies remind me that I do not have to compete with anyone.<br /><ul></ul><br />My first tattoo was of a butterfly. For the first time in a long time, I was back in the driver's seat of my life. I was ready to spread my wings and fly but was also equally terrified to do so. So.... I got a tattoo. And my tattoo is so much more than a cliche butterfly. My tattoo has a story behind it. But rather than get into the whole story, just read the above list again. The permanent ink on my back reminds me everyday of all the amazing things I have been able to accomplish when I set my mind to it. My butterfly reminds me that the only thing holding me back, is me. I control my wings. No one else.<br /><br />So yes, butterflies mean a lot to me. I love observing these delicate yet powerful creatures. It's not easy breaking out of a cocoon. It takes real strength and determination to free yourself from a self created cocoon, leaving the shell behind as you bravely take flight into the light. You have to believe in all the possibilities yet to be experienced in the great big world outside of your little cocoon. I am pretty sure the butterflies do not delve as deep into their behaviors as I do. They just live. They just soar. They just inspire.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-eg0AaNNUU/WW6ObL-WKAI/AAAAAAAAFVo/K-utXykkTDUDcLwoyOC-leH9owOMv63egCLcBGAs/s1600/18403142_10211253205319378_4352495166904283408_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-eg0AaNNUU/WW6ObL-WKAI/AAAAAAAAFVo/K-utXykkTDUDcLwoyOC-leH9owOMv63egCLcBGAs/s400/18403142_10211253205319378_4352495166904283408_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty! Not sure what it's name is.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I have always wanted to experience butterflies flying all around me. It seemed so magical to me. These enchanting creatures with their free spirited ways and sprite like souls had an aura and energy nothing short of spellbinding. I wanted to share in that on a grand scale. Some of my facebook peeps have visited butterfly gardens and such. Their words and their pictures were very inspiring to me. I decided to add this to my bucket list. It was definitely something I would not mind experiencing at least once in my lifetime. I mean who wouldn't want a bunch of exotic colorful fairies flying around their head? <br /><br />I had been researching the Keys for years but it wasn't until last year that I came upon a Butterfly and Nature Conservatory located in Key West. It's been there for years but somehow I managed to miss it. I decided if I ever had the chance to visit Key West, this was going to be a must do attraction for me. And when my Florida Keys Road Trip became a reality, I think I was more excited to visit the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory than any other place.<br /><br />When we entered the building, I became entranced by all the beautiful butterfly wind chimes, sculptures and stained glass in the gift shop. I was definitely going to take some time after the exhibit to admire such stunning decor. We were welcomed by a lovely lady whom explained the rules we were to follow once we entered the sanctuary. No texting or talking on self phones. Phones could be used for pictures but they would prefer people not be talking on their phones in the sanctuary.<br /><br />I loved that rule. They wanted you to pay attention to the beauty and not interfere with other guests or the creatures all around you. To this day, I will never find blabbering at max volume on a phone in a public place, especially one where other people have paid money to experience, be it a venue, a restaurant, a movie, an attraction, etc. socially acceptable. I find it unbelievably rude and disrespectful. If people want to spend their entire time at a place texting, have at it. It's your money but at least it is a quiet activity unless you have the annoying message alert tone on. Then it is just as annoying. Sorry, just had to vent.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BSb1JTeR844/WW6OqLP9WKI/AAAAAAAAFVs/LqsgiHokTWgl538srZtwvKU0GR4_HsE8ACLcBGAs/s1600/18423700_10211253203919343_6924253823149914466_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BSb1JTeR844/WW6OqLP9WKI/AAAAAAAAFVs/LqsgiHokTWgl538srZtwvKU0GR4_HsE8ACLcBGAs/s400/18423700_10211253203919343_6924253823149914466_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory</td></tr></tbody></table>Back to the rules. We were cautioned to walk slowly through the exhibit as butterflies, little birds and turtles would be on the ground. They did not want anyone to accidentally step on any of these sweet, little creatures. We were not to touch any of the creatures. If a butterfly landed on you, that was okay. They just did not want us to to touch them as they are so delicate. Finally, when leaving the sanctuary, we were to check everyone in our party for any hitchhiking butterflies that could have possibly landed on us.<br /><br />Good rules. Understandable rules. We were good to go. We entered the education center and looked around a little bit. There was all sorts of information on butterflies. Not gonna lie, we maybe spent a minute in there. I could not wait to get into the room with the butterflies. I know my daughter could not wait either. So, we walked over to the first set of metal doors that led to the butterfly room. Through those doors there was a small corridor then another set of metal doors.<br /><br />I almost peed myself when I looked through the two little glass windows on the doors. Tons of butterflies were flying around the room. "OMG Look at them!" I exclaimed. Remember the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where they open the big door and walk into the candy jungle? Well that was totally me when we opened the door into the butterfly sanctuary. I was stunned with amazement. My eyes were wide and I probably said "Wow", "Oh My God" and "Look at them all." about a gazillion times. Pretty sure my son rolled his eyes cuz I was gushing over this place. ( For the record, no part of this exhibit was edible by any means.)<br /><br />It was not a huge sanctuary but it was a a gorgeous sanctuary. The room felt like that of a rainforest. The foliage was lush and exotic, dressed in shades of pinks, purples and greens. Tropical flowers dotted the landscape and the sound of water streaming from the beautiful little brooks and ponds was very soothing and calming. Birds were chirping and cooing melodically with the exception of one bird. This bird was really, really loud. He was squawking non stop but it was hilarious. It sounded like a dysfunctional car horn, honking repeatedly. It sounded like Hazleton on a Friday or Saturday night to be honest.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wlBa68cooo/WW6Pdb3RWII/AAAAAAAAFV4/NQgau-mlDtcRuTxMyUR9jYlJGd2vRMEQACLcBGAs/s1600/18402750_10211253211879542_7626449966555328109_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wlBa68cooo/WW6Pdb3RWII/AAAAAAAAFV4/NQgau-mlDtcRuTxMyUR9jYlJGd2vRMEQACLcBGAs/s640/18402750_10211253211879542_7626449966555328109_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So lush and tropical!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Slowly, we walked the first path admiring the numerous varieties of butterflies fluttering all around us. The Owl Butterflies with their two toned wings were extraordinary. A cobalt blue patterned hue covered the backside of the insects while a fawn brown hue dotted with big spots that look very much like the eyes of an owl appeared on the frontal part of their wings. The Owl Butterflies were massive and plentiful. They would hover down very close to you, then fly away quickly.<br /><br />Little black butterflies with yellow stripes were perched upon some of the stunning flowers. I named those butterflies Steelers butterflies because why wouldn't I? Bright orange butterflies mingled on berry bushes. We looked to the ground and saw a pair of adorable little egg shaped birds waddling along the brick, not at all phased by the foot traffic on the paths. They were so funny. We kept laughing as we watched them scurry up and down the edges of the paths. We came to find these little cuties are actually Chinese quail birds. There were grey quails and black and white quails. They were on a mission too.&nbsp; I have no idea what it was but they were making me dizzy with all their zipping around.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd-MlUk8cdA/WW6PqlQ4t2I/AAAAAAAAFV8/FSHXDVuVcOIOZKGhxuH7fPIX50LvxGOfwCLcBGAs/s1600/18446643_10211253205359379_1955344963030045022_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wd-MlUk8cdA/WW6PqlQ4t2I/AAAAAAAAFV8/FSHXDVuVcOIOZKGhxuH7fPIX50LvxGOfwCLcBGAs/s400/18446643_10211253205359379_1955344963030045022_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steelers Butterfly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eU92KDP8a_M/WW6P2V2MPPI/AAAAAAAAFWA/ojrhzd4HDDwEphyUlwUYbiCS9RfgzcNYQCLcBGAs/s1600/18403448_10211253205119373_2863197784133906243_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="555" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eU92KDP8a_M/WW6P2V2MPPI/AAAAAAAAFWA/ojrhzd4HDDwEphyUlwUYbiCS9RfgzcNYQCLcBGAs/s400/18403448_10211253205119373_2863197784133906243_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="391" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julia Butterly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7V4V1lpiYY/WW6QBxy0jyI/AAAAAAAAFWE/EU3he9zHTLsl5514cryKG0GH7shOeT73QCLcBGAs/s1600/18301206_10211253207639436_4771912066401137135_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7V4V1lpiYY/WW6QBxy0jyI/AAAAAAAAFWE/EU3he9zHTLsl5514cryKG0GH7shOeT73QCLcBGAs/s400/18301206_10211253207639436_4771912066401137135_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So Pretty</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2uhrUz93c8/WW6QIZbdSjI/AAAAAAAAFWI/o-zHeNaX2-kpYYBHKTsQkm8tb1aSLd0AgCLcBGAs/s1600/g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2uhrUz93c8/WW6QIZbdSjI/AAAAAAAAFWI/o-zHeNaX2-kpYYBHKTsQkm8tb1aSLd0AgCLcBGAs/s400/g.jpg" title="Chinese Quail" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Quails. Too cute!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsM30VxeeFE/WW6QSeEdRyI/AAAAAAAAFWM/gEYGPLqAPdkyYEc8AJb2WP0l26OoCC2RwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301752_10211253205879392_6197943904251939247_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="585" height="337" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vsM30VxeeFE/WW6QSeEdRyI/AAAAAAAAFWM/gEYGPLqAPdkyYEc8AJb2WP0l26OoCC2RwCLcBGAs/s400/18301752_10211253205879392_6197943904251939247_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fluffing his feathers.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We turned the corner of the path and began slowly making our way down, discovering more and more butterfly variations with each step. Some of them had these elaborate, tapestry like wings. Some reminded me of peacock feathers. My son was bending down by the railing along the brook checking out a butterfly when all of a sudden I noticed a little pink head bobbing over the railing directly in front of my son. "What is that?" I wondered, moving in for a closer look.<br /><br />"OMG It's a flamingo!" I exclaimed. My son and I both became entranced by this bright pink bird whom was contently licking something off the railing. Perhaps it was nectar. I have no idea. All I knew was this bird was really enjoying whatever substance was on the railing and was not at all intimidated by the close proximity of my son and me. I guess some of us are window lickers and some of us are railing lickers? Doesn't matter. We are special in our own way.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VDiwakZ3s3Y/WXEzv1IIvWI/AAAAAAAAFXE/a4IyFbWl5L4EHChNqQKCpzQMDVG6v24IwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403576_10211253237760189_3824190082802510617_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VDiwakZ3s3Y/WXEzv1IIvWI/AAAAAAAAFXE/a4IyFbWl5L4EHChNqQKCpzQMDVG6v24IwCLcBGAs/s320/18403576_10211253237760189_3824190082802510617_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is that??</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyways, once she was done licking the railing, she looked up at us, craning her head a little higher, then turned and walked away. I looked to the plaque by the brook. There were two flamingos in here. Rhett and Scarlett were their names. There was also another sign explaining that it was mating season and the reason Rhett was being so loud was because he was trying to get Scarlett's attention. Obviously we just met the mild mannered, rail licking Scarlett.<br /><br />We walked past some bamboo trees and Rhett came into view. He was pacing back and forth, honking and squawking like crazy. It was hilarious. I kind of felt bad for the poor guy. All that noise, all that effort was falling on deaf ears. Scarlett wanted nothing to do with him. She would walk over near him every now and again, but then she would be like, hell no. Of course I do not speak flamingo so god only knows what he was saying to her.<br /><br />For all I knew, he could have been saying things like "I wanna tap that." or "Get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich." or "I'm different from all the other guys." Who knows? Only Scarlett and Rhett know for sure. What happens in the sanctuary stays in the sanctuary. It was certainly entertaining though. I snapped a few more pictures of these pink, quirky creatures then turned my attention back to the butterflies.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9PbuMUK1kI/WXE0-pHk1JI/AAAAAAAAFXo/GY2sDgnvfSc-lhHtemADlq9lgZ-zbHriACLcBGAs/s1600/18402757_10211253239200225_4863635693865196299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9PbuMUK1kI/WXE0-pHk1JI/AAAAAAAAFXo/GY2sDgnvfSc-lhHtemADlq9lgZ-zbHriACLcBGAs/s400/18402757_10211253239200225_4863635693865196299_n.jpg" title="Flamingos" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovers</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ddr_c-r2pJg/WXEz9y4KDrI/AAAAAAAAFXI/bL2n2JFZ9M0I-dnZelv7Om7p-kSzsdZKQCLcBGAs/s1600/18342192_10211253239800240_488074685229208045_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ddr_c-r2pJg/WXEz9y4KDrI/AAAAAAAAFXI/bL2n2JFZ9M0I-dnZelv7Om7p-kSzsdZKQCLcBGAs/s400/18342192_10211253239800240_488074685229208045_n.jpg" title="Flamingos" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhett was honking like a crazy man!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ye-LbpHQPuE/WXE0DSiI_EI/AAAAAAAAFXM/fga9fSRJGUwvPoNyoMpQ8VwZrMTXgyYZACLcBGAs/s1600/h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ye-LbpHQPuE/WXE0DSiI_EI/AAAAAAAAFXM/fga9fSRJGUwvPoNyoMpQ8VwZrMTXgyYZACLcBGAs/s400/h.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhett taking a breather to chew some bamboo.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca-zZIJat_E/WXE0KPL5yII/AAAAAAAAFXQ/ph-IyxIorUg3oVx4OsOrQfgZAVZZzWSsQCLcBGAs/s1600/18300812_10211253240080247_561735571109476460_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca-zZIJat_E/WXE0KPL5yII/AAAAAAAAFXQ/ph-IyxIorUg3oVx4OsOrQfgZAVZZzWSsQCLcBGAs/s400/18300812_10211253240080247_561735571109476460_n.jpg" title="Flamingos" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhett notices Scarlett. Damn!!!! Woman, you fine!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o4CvC9_MA7A/WXE0PD8-rgI/AAAAAAAAFXU/GMyWp5tN8kAjgYFrRpZt9E3K6Al0MCjGQCLcBGAs/s1600/18341758_10211253240280252_1949501154270837245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o4CvC9_MA7A/WXE0PD8-rgI/AAAAAAAAFXU/GMyWp5tN8kAjgYFrRpZt9E3K6Al0MCjGQCLcBGAs/s400/18341758_10211253240280252_1949501154270837245_n.jpg" title="Flamingos" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlett is like ummm....I don't think so.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-YXbs4PMt8/WXE0VxoxcNI/AAAAAAAAFXY/u7RS-0h9bxMLuT1dFWlb3zGtc1tNYRVLwCLcBGAs/s1600/18423991_10211253238240201_4083957499662646326_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-YXbs4PMt8/WXE0VxoxcNI/AAAAAAAAFXY/u7RS-0h9bxMLuT1dFWlb3zGtc1tNYRVLwCLcBGAs/s400/18423991_10211253238240201_4083957499662646326_n.jpg" title="Flamingos" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlett would much rather chill in the pond.....alone!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There were little feeders set up all around the sanctuary with banana and mango slices for the butterflies to enjoy. In fact one feeder looked like a butterfly BBQ because there were about 5 or 6 of them congregated on a plate of oranges, mangos and bananas. They looked hammered. They were just lying on the fruit slices all drunk from their sugar high. I sat on a butterfly shaped bench and watched that plate for about five minutes. Not one butterfly moved. One looked like it was about to fall over but he did not. That is talent right there.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfTbvB0uDrE/WXE0f-Io1dI/AAAAAAAAFXc/fp3aL8mRxN469rQEwSEub4EvQSc3mY17QCLcBGAs/s1600/18301732_10211253209959494_5104471933367564700_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfTbvB0uDrE/WXE0f-Io1dI/AAAAAAAAFXc/fp3aL8mRxN469rQEwSEub4EvQSc3mY17QCLcBGAs/s320/18301732_10211253209959494_5104471933367564700_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Hour on the fruit dish!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It kind of reminded me of last call at the Roadhouse on a Friday night back in the day with my peeps. Good times man. Good times. Anyways, we spent a good hour in that room trying to see as many butterflies, birds, plants and other creatures as possible. Unfortunately the turtles were hiding that day. However, there is a little lab located near the exit of the conservatory where we were able to watch a butterfly emerge from it's cocoon. That was pretty neat.<br /><br />They had all the cocoons labeled by butterfly type. Some were just teeny tiny little cocoons. Some were very colorful cocoons. There were also cocoons that looked like little lumps of the shiniest sterling silver I had ever seen. There were a few emerged butterflies hanging on the windows in the cocoon lab. They were probably saying " Get me out of here mister." I am sure in due time they will be released into the wild of the conservatory where they can go partake in the drunken shenanigans of the other butterflies passed out on the fruit plates. Don't grow up too quick butterflies.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLsa5elcHbs/WXE04iG47II/AAAAAAAAFXk/VCFc8FIDLp0FlYsN18xX9j43ZT7wb3BggCLcBGAs/s1600/18300821_10211253215559634_4094887457538922478_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLsa5elcHbs/WXE04iG47II/AAAAAAAAFXk/VCFc8FIDLp0FlYsN18xX9j43ZT7wb3BggCLcBGAs/s400/18300821_10211253215559634_4094887457538922478_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let me out!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yknl2vX2_Jg/WXE1GS-QHeI/AAAAAAAAFXs/_agC1EQ1A6cXb20HQ-KrHq0Wixta7SDawCLcBGAs/s1600/18300989_10211253215959644_6458427104613846349_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yknl2vX2_Jg/WXE1GS-QHeI/AAAAAAAAFXs/_agC1EQ1A6cXb20HQ-KrHq0Wixta7SDawCLcBGAs/s400/18300989_10211253215959644_6458427104613846349_n.jpg" title="Atlas Moth" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Beautiful Atlas Moth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eOnV35MXo68/WXE1QipLIeI/AAAAAAAAFXw/shdo8dbaslExleR9L1XA9jAQEggbwa3IQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402957_10211253215159624_2985036868061589112_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eOnV35MXo68/WXE1QipLIeI/AAAAAAAAFXw/shdo8dbaslExleR9L1XA9jAQEggbwa3IQCLcBGAs/s400/18402957_10211253215159624_2985036868061589112_n.jpg" title="Tailed Jay" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tailed Jay. Gorgeous lime green and black.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSgHolByQUs/WXE1eTsvI2I/AAAAAAAAFX0/DMMtg1sTxD0IPcR8xCPPFuvn4oNQNYVqgCLcBGAs/s1600/18341914_10211253204679362_4349989759569900087_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSgHolByQUs/WXE1eTsvI2I/AAAAAAAAFX0/DMMtg1sTxD0IPcR8xCPPFuvn4oNQNYVqgCLcBGAs/s400/18341914_10211253204679362_4349989759569900087_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gossiping in the garden.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6kSuLOrT5Yc/WXE1lyXhLDI/AAAAAAAAFX4/iNSCP1k8VKMMpiSAFGPN_z5ZTdXZKF1_gCLcBGAs/s1600/18403640_10211253204319353_6133744959614016136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6kSuLOrT5Yc/WXE1lyXhLDI/AAAAAAAAFX4/iNSCP1k8VKMMpiSAFGPN_z5ZTdXZKF1_gCLcBGAs/s400/18403640_10211253204319353_6133744959614016136_n.jpg" title="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's get this party started!!!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9HcHqMB-Suk/WXE0pRotfRI/AAAAAAAAFXg/iAnpDHfFFg4qY41fR8mbiQH1EZswCqHGACLcBGAs/s1600/18342527_10211253211079522_8477205049493078721_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9HcHqMB-Suk/WXE0pRotfRI/AAAAAAAAFXg/iAnpDHfFFg4qY41fR8mbiQH1EZswCqHGACLcBGAs/s320/18342527_10211253211079522_8477205049493078721_n.jpg" title="Turtle Crossing sign" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did not see any turtles but they are in there.</td></tr></tbody></table>In closing I will say this was definitely the experience of a lifetime. I was not expecting to see as many butterflies as I did. Like I said before, they were everywhere. As for this conservatory, hands down they are an amazing facility. They went out of their way to recreate an exotic scene straight from the Amazon Rainforest not for the guests to enjoy but for the plants and creatures living in this environment to flourish and thrive.<br /><br />The fact that they allow the public to get a glimpse of this incredible place is just an added bonus. This was money well spent. For less that $33, because we had a $2 off per person coupon, my family and I got to travel to the rainforest without having to get immunizations nor worry about scary snakes or other intimidating critters. Every single creature and plant in this facility is well loved and well taken care of. There is no doubt in my mind. There is a reason The Key West Butterfly and Conservatory is ranked as the #1 thing to do in Key West on Trip Advisor. If you have a chance to visit Key West, this is a must!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.keywestbutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Check it out here <span style="font-size: large;">🦋</span></a>!<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kQQeOVHYqVY/WXE5arrk7-I/AAAAAAAAFYA/pZb_Mgvf-vsbKHE-CinVfv-3Q5B7lB42wCLcBGAs/s1600/18342629_10211253245360379_8072896580090441723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kQQeOVHYqVY/WXE5arrk7-I/AAAAAAAAFYA/pZb_Mgvf-vsbKHE-CinVfv-3Q5B7lB42wCLcBGAs/s320/18342629_10211253245360379_8072896580090441723_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-89655301067564863102017-07-09T14:53:00.002-07:002017-07-23T11:38:40.690-07:00#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's Home<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E3-c2QxibIM/WWF0YIuy8CI/AAAAAAAAFRc/8ZpXAkn632sKKuejSPrGljaViSNTp2wbwCLcBGAs/s1600/18342639_10211253167558434_6270990229571550768_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway House" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E3-c2QxibIM/WWF0YIuy8CI/AAAAAAAAFRc/8ZpXAkn632sKKuejSPrGljaViSNTp2wbwCLcBGAs/s400/18342639_10211253167558434_6270990229571550768_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This picture sums it up. </b></td></tr></tbody></table>Ernest Hemingway. The man. The myth. The Legend. Chances are you have read at least one of his literary works when in high school. If not, may I recommend The Old Man and The Sea? It is one of the greatest books I have ever read. There are many significant lessons and experiences in this book that can parallel to just about anyone's life in one way or another. It's a book about going after a dream, achieving that dream, fighting to keep the dream a reality, and ultimately losing the dream but....did you really lose your dream? It's all about perspective. It's about age and wisdom. It's about toughness and desperation. It's one of Ernest Hemingway's greatest literary pieces.<br /><br />But this man is so much more than written word. Whenever I see a Dos Equis commercial featuring "The Most Interesting Man In The World.", I always think of Ernest Hemingway. The man even looks like an elder Ernest Hemingway. Yes, I am quite fascinated with Hemingway. He seemed to live a very spirited life. He was a carpe diem sort of fella. So visiting his home in Key West was an adventure I could not pass up.<br /><br />The Hemingway House in Key West is a privately owned home that is open to the public. Hemingway spent most of the 1930's living in this home with second wife "Pilar" aka Pauline Pfeiffer. Pilar was her code name as he was still married to Hadley Richardson and living in Paris when he met Pauline. Pilar was also the name of Hemingway's yacht. He purchased it in Coney Island, New York from Wheeler Shipyard after receiving an advance from Esquire for some stories he agreed to write. It was brought down to Key West and officially christened as "Pilar".<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZVbTQgDg5o/WWF0pMYM9oI/AAAAAAAAFRg/cQO1B96ErrgnLKUHutJOXcXIwTJqOEjKACLcBGAs/s1600/18425246_10211253168118448_3701647921824554995_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway House" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZVbTQgDg5o/WWF0pMYM9oI/AAAAAAAAFRg/cQO1B96ErrgnLKUHutJOXcXIwTJqOEjKACLcBGAs/s400/18425246_10211253168118448_3701647921824554995_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Pilar's wheel.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As for the house, Pauline's rich uncle bought the house in Key West for the couple as a wedding gift. It was one of the first houses on the island to have indoor plumbing and an upstairs bathroom. It also had a very rare basement. Not many properties in Key West have basements because it is only 3 feet above sea level. To this day, that basement has never flooded either. I live like 8 million feet above sea level in the Pocono Mountains and my basement sometimes gets flooded. WTF is up with that??<br /><br />Anyways, back to the gorgeous house. Pauline had done most of the decorating in the house. She had a very nice eye for detail and the very stylish chandeliers in the house were all chosen by her. Although Key West was a tropical island and gets quite hot and humid, Pauline chose to have all the ceiling fans in the house replaced with beautiful chandeliers from France and Cuba. She was not a fan of the ceiling fan look.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewvsdgRkcvo/WWF1DO4Cb1I/AAAAAAAAFRo/3B5UUY-ESzEcbOmrSBx2VTwYw3E2azDaQCLcBGAs/s1600/18342712_10211253169238476_7933289925616604511_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R7n9VkrCHG4/WWF07eUb8jI/AAAAAAAAFRk/-7oH9uKBYhEfDGizx8o3nGUrBpvsw0LBQCLcBGAs/s320/18342097_10211253168158449_4834783482356202411_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House" width="240" /><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewvsdgRkcvo/WWF1DO4Cb1I/AAAAAAAAFRo/3B5UUY-ESzEcbOmrSBx2VTwYw3E2azDaQCLcBGAs/s320/18342712_10211253169238476_7933289925616604511_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The gorgeous chandeliers.</b></div><br />Most of the furnishings in the home are the furnishings used by the Hemingway family. Beautiful, ornate cabinets throughout the house display many of Ernest's possessions including some of his typewriters, favorite books, and pictures from his life and travels. Oh how I would love to write just one of my blog posts on a typewriter used by Ernest Hemingway. I would probably need about 7 ink ribbons, a case of white out, and a can of WD40 in order to accomplish such a feat though. While I am a fast typer I am a sloppy typer who never really learned how to type properly. I tend to make a lot of mistakes. It would be completely worth the utter frustration I would have with myself though.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVW2i37ThW8/WWGMGcktxVI/AAAAAAAAFTY/kHc32I1gWTwLa0tcQgwBL8vhzIkJtRp0gCLcBGAs/s1600/18301899_10211253170998520_8361518055504068927_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-stUB-f0CcNI/WWGMCIalo_I/AAAAAAAAFTU/MrSJ31-lhWwHW2cqdyP_Z0IE_mL7cwhbACLcBGAs/s320/18341983_10211253169638486_7246543689035817578_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House" width="240" /><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVW2i37ThW8/WWGMGcktxVI/AAAAAAAAFTY/kHc32I1gWTwLa0tcQgwBL8vhzIkJtRp0gCLcBGAs/s320/18301899_10211253170998520_8361518055504068927_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The marble and tile in the bathrooms was stunning. </b></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PnVtdGeLPT4/WWF1I8Zw-_I/AAAAAAAAFRs/c0j2d4IjJq8CAga-ytceL08eKvUwkDogACLcBGAs/s1600/18301057_10211253169438481_7398556650913571771_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway House" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PnVtdGeLPT4/WWF1I8Zw-_I/AAAAAAAAFRs/c0j2d4IjJq8CAga-ytceL08eKvUwkDogACLcBGAs/s400/18301057_10211253169438481_7398556650913571771_n.jpg" title="Hemingway's typewriter" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of Hemingway's typewriters.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>It was an absolutely gorgeous property. The gardens and courtyards were filled with various palm trees, African tulip trees and many other exotic plants and flowers. The house itself with it's white, limestone walls, tall windows, and summery green shutters was so beautiful. It was the epitome of a Caribbean beach house but definitely had some Southern flair to it as well. The house reminded me of New Orleans to be honest. The second floor had a wrap around balcony with gorgeous views of the island as well as the grounds below.<br /><br />Back then though, the island was still pretty dry so all the lush and beautiful foliage on the property was not originally there when Hemingway resided on the property. It wasn't until the Navy installed a waterline from Florida City to the island that the more tropical plants were able to be added. By then, Hemingway was already living in Cuba with his third wife Martha Gellhorn, a woman whom in one biography written about her was said to have no problem conducting sexual affairs and ruining relationships. She herself had once stated she did not enjoy sex but did it because it made her feel wanted.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRADquP-41A/WWGJqfSCLGI/AAAAAAAAFS0/L862KvZdjMUhFZa2LIv15_1_P_n4sXl7wCLcBGAs/s1600/18403522_10211253174318603_1288244358144303425_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway House Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIxwHTjqPlg/WWGJjKwbZlI/AAAAAAAAFSw/qVvydCVCIg4gYNGp2JJ2pNI7TaYm5DBNgCLcBGAs/s320/18301167_10211253174518608_3417045413566505899_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Gardens" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Hemingway House Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="839" height="273" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gRADquP-41A/WWGJqfSCLGI/AAAAAAAAFS0/L862KvZdjMUhFZa2LIv15_1_P_n4sXl7wCLcBGAs/s320/18403522_10211253174318603_1288244358144303425_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Gardens" width="320" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KwNJOnMuAWw/WWGKGaszffI/AAAAAAAAFS8/1GdqYcAjkyIyleU0zFsuGzs2Z_8A5r8VwCLcBGAs/s1600/18301689_10211253172958569_6184472674170745107_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway House Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8pSufHWavY/WWGKC8psnPI/AAAAAAAAFS4/gQwqNBYnzpUeiIaRnhVHUkKAhiB-ngIqACLcBGAs/s320/18301579_10211253166558409_2167824888068534687_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Gardens" width="240" /><img alt="Hemingway House Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KwNJOnMuAWw/WWGKGaszffI/AAAAAAAAFS8/1GdqYcAjkyIyleU0zFsuGzs2Z_8A5r8VwCLcBGAs/s320/18301689_10211253172958569_6184472674170745107_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Gardens" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D7KHMjXAN-k/WWGKZtx8PTI/AAAAAAAAFTE/q_r199iGlPUtGMWhjr5fPHutmHnpiEF7QCLcBGAs/s1600/18403625_10211253167038421_8511845138962874772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Key West Lighthouse" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DuAi8I7Dg8k/WWGKSyfDwKI/AAAAAAAAFTA/Vyrbdw-_xdssbMyu8Q9tZs-pni-6INaNwCLcBGAs/s320/18342513_10211253168398455_3840433436716210007_n.jpg" title="Key West Lighthouse" width="240" /><img alt="Hemingway House Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D7KHMjXAN-k/WWGKZtx8PTI/AAAAAAAAFTE/q_r199iGlPUtGMWhjr5fPHutmHnpiEF7QCLcBGAs/s320/18403625_10211253167038421_8511845138962874772_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Gardens" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMztYc4-RWo/WWGLeQMO4MI/AAAAAAAAFTM/yXXR687QYPoALAWKmw7XulAydgIbM4mXwCLcBGAs/s1600/18423905_10211253172918568_304613038179100585_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway House " border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMztYc4-RWo/WWGLeQMO4MI/AAAAAAAAFTM/yXXR687QYPoALAWKmw7XulAydgIbM4mXwCLcBGAs/s400/18423905_10211253172918568_304613038179100585_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The grounds and the home was so stunning and tropical. I would love to live here! Could you imagine having a lighthouse in the backdrop?? So cool!</b></div><br />Yes. Hemingway loved many things in life. He loved to write. He loved boxing. He loved sailing. He loved to travel. He loved to drink. And he loved women. He definitely broke more than a few hearts in his time. He also broke his own heart a few times as well. Rumor has it that his split from Pauline was very painful for him as well.&nbsp; Love the man but in the end, was the affair worth the disintegration of his marriage to Pauline? His third and shortest marriage to Martha was very volatile to say the least. Heartbreak and pain are all part of the romance of living and loving though isn't it? As a society I think we tend to romanticize heartbreak even more than love itself nowadays. That's not healthy. It's quite sad to be honest. <br /><br />But I digress. Back to my tour of Hemingway house. The stunning and very large in-ground pool located at Hemingway House has a story behind. While Hemingway did want a pool for the property, he was not at all looking to spend a small fortune on it. Pauline had found out about Ernest's affair with Martha Gelhorn while he was away doing correspondence for the Spanish Civil War. So, she decided to alter the design of the pool to be installed on the property just a little. LOL! <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DExZw_nM2mI/WWGHr3NSSMI/AAAAAAAAFSA/F19XEUx3DMwmRUFmIKBBSwFjK3DAHi39wCLcBGAs/s1600/18301237_10211253176598660_213319359460940839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway House pool" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DExZw_nM2mI/WWGHr3NSSMI/AAAAAAAAFSA/F19XEUx3DMwmRUFmIKBBSwFjK3DAHi39wCLcBGAs/s400/18301237_10211253176598660_213319359460940839_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House pool" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The infamous swimming pool!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>When Ernest came home and saw the pool, which cost $20,000 back in the 1930's ( That would be $330,000 by today's standards), he became furious and threw a penny at her. He stated that she might as well have taken his last red cent. At the time he was unaware that Pauline's wealthy uncle had actually paid for the pool. Pauline later had that very penny embedded in the concrete by the pool where it became a conversation piece at parties she held on the Key West property before she passed away in the early 1950's.<br /><br />From the gardens and the house, you could see the Key West Lighthouse looming directly across the street. Back in Hemingway's days on the island, it was not nearly as built up with structures as it is today. Back then, it was a little more difficult to navigate the island, especially after drunken nights at Sloppy Joe's bar. It was the Key West lighthouse that Hemingway would often use as a focal point in finding his way back home when a little too inebriated.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opfx_SUm3s8/WWGLEi8bp5I/AAAAAAAAFTI/8KGgBS8GZEUzdushKa-H0jyzOob3AJABACLcBGAs/s1600/18301470_10211253174398605_2153999069598644920_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="489" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s4SaEGOUUzs/WWGH0t74iDI/AAAAAAAAFSE/LYmIPSytgFIfNDOB6EKfpOfhnsAD1GczACLcBGAs/s320/18301247_10211253176558659_8058421826128617509_n.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-opfx_SUm3s8/WWGLEi8bp5I/AAAAAAAAFTI/8KGgBS8GZEUzdushKa-H0jyzOob3AJABACLcBGAs/s320/18301470_10211253174398605_2153999069598644920_n.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hemingway's last red cent and some kittens recreating Mann's Chinese theater.&nbsp;</b></div><br />And speaking of Sloppy Joe's bar, Hemingway's favorite haunt, there is actually a piece of memorabilia from that very bar on the property. Pauline had a beautiful Cuban water jar displayed in her garden. It was quite large too. Like I said, she had a beautiful eye for decor and detail. Her husband Ernest decided to add his own piece of decor to the garden as well. When Sloppy Joe's bar was remodeling, Ernest Hemingway asked for the urinal in the bar since he pissed away so much money there. ( What a sense of humor on this man!) Well, they gave it to him.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LaXfJZSp2WA/WWGH5BoRrlI/AAAAAAAAFSI/WueElZWN_v0qwwFGmFMMgRBUsoih6m8pQCLcBGAs/s1600/18341852_10211253176958669_4685284049731465641_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway House Cuban water jar" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LaXfJZSp2WA/WWGH5BoRrlI/AAAAAAAAFSI/WueElZWN_v0qwwFGmFMMgRBUsoih6m8pQCLcBGAs/s400/18341852_10211253176958669_4685284049731465641_n.jpg" title="Hemingway House Cuban water jar" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cuban water jar and a cat sipping from the drinking fountain.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Pilar was not at all pleased with the urinal lying in her garden. But, being the sassy woman she was, she decided to allow Ernest to keep his prize. She even added her own personal touch to the urinal. She had it refurbished with mosaic tile to make it pretty. Today, the Cuban water jar and the Sloppy Joe urinal have been utilized together to make the perfect cat drinking fountain for the home's live in residents to enjoy. We even got to witness one of said residents enjoying a little afternoon slurp from the fountain.<br /><br />And since I brought up the cat drinking fountain we might as well get to the "celebrities" of Hemingway House, the Polydactyls cats, aka Hemingway cats, aka six toed cats. Most cats have 5 front toes per paw and 4 back toes per paw. Polydactyl cats have six, sometimes 7 toes. Sometimes in both the front and the back. This anomaly isn't unique to a specific breed either. This phenomenon can happen in any breed of cat really. It all depends on the DNA.<br /><br />Hemingway was a superstitious man. On the docks of Key West he met a famous shipwreck and salvage captain named Harold Dexter. Captain Dexter always sailed with his six toed polydactyl cat Snowball. I had no idea until I visited Hemingway House that cats are considered a a maritime good luck charm. Hemingway was fascinated with Snowball and also wanted good luck. Captain Dexter gifted Hemingway and his boys with a polydactyl kitten from one of Snowball's litters.<br /><br />The boys named the kitten Snow White. Hemingway used to joke that where there was one cat, more were sure to follow. He was right of course. Today, most of the cats that reside in Hemingway House as well as many wandering around the island of Key West, are polydactyl descendants of Snow White. And while some of these cats are born with the normal amount of toes, they carry the polydactyl gene and often times give birth to kittens that do have six, seven, even eight toes.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcTMLrJH1RI/WWGLl-9salI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/u1oY7ieY5N4nnR2XSgllSygkgRtKaAPRgCLcBGAs/s1600/18403037_10211253178518708_1855216859980247344_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="950" height="352" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcTMLrJH1RI/WWGLl-9salI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/u1oY7ieY5N4nnR2XSgllSygkgRtKaAPRgCLcBGAs/s640/18403037_10211253178518708_1855216859980247344_n.jpg" title="polydactyl cats " width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>How the Hemingway cats came about. Snowball.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bnqbbhSo4lA/WWGIPn5Bv3I/AAAAAAAAFSM/GLlw8Bsz71cOSCeDwd4vXxcsYRAtUXZEQCLcBGAs/s1600/18341942_10211253176118648_5993847198648664447_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bnqbbhSo4lA/WWGIPn5Bv3I/AAAAAAAAFSM/GLlw8Bsz71cOSCeDwd4vXxcsYRAtUXZEQCLcBGAs/s640/18341942_10211253176118648_5993847198648664447_n.jpg" title="polydactyl cats" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A sleepy Polydactyl. So neat. So sweet.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9XmBBfMWXg/WWKkvnfdYRI/AAAAAAAAFTs/o_iBk92wsy85yrfwG-bsRgLAx2Yte4bTgCLcBGAs/s1600/18403206_10211253177478682_3309811345853607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="720" height="584" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9XmBBfMWXg/WWKkvnfdYRI/AAAAAAAAFTs/o_iBk92wsy85yrfwG-bsRgLAx2Yte4bTgCLcBGAs/s640/18403206_10211253177478682_3309811345853607_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This little gal wanted her belly rubbed. My son and I obliged.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zDqI1dJyAPA/WWKlCqS7EtI/AAAAAAAAFTw/RisAjiZidZUtDtt22g9a--rRAxT6N-MigCLcBGAs/s1600/18301918_10211253179318728_6216565686001122530_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zDqI1dJyAPA/WWKlCqS7EtI/AAAAAAAAFTw/RisAjiZidZUtDtt22g9a--rRAxT6N-MigCLcBGAs/s640/18301918_10211253179318728_6216565686001122530_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Maine Coon polydactyl. Beautiful but he must have been sweltering. </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V_Nh26sKdMs/WWGIfBR1AhI/AAAAAAAAFSU/3h8Uu6ln0zkiNrVTTcSrkgTaRG2Z5-TewCLcBGAs/s1600/18301791_10211253166958419_330569607317163849_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r3a7Zv2ShUM/WWGIaGYHT5I/AAAAAAAAFSQ/FYsTxytY6nwszqfRK1am_cxlaZhB1YbhgCLcBGAs/s400/18301730_10211253166718413_8727829465652997244_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V_Nh26sKdMs/WWGIfBR1AhI/AAAAAAAAFSU/3h8Uu6ln0zkiNrVTTcSrkgTaRG2Z5-TewCLcBGAs/s400/18301791_10211253166958419_330569607317163849_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The kiddos chilling on the bench with a Hemingway cat. She was sweet and calm.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />Hemingway liked naming his cats after famous people and that tradition is still practiced today when new kittens are born at Hemingway House. You could tell these cats were well loved and well taken care of. We were allowed to pet the cats. If one jumped up on our lap, that was okay as well. The only actions we were not permitted to do were to either pick them up or chase them. And while there were some shy cats on the property, most of them were either really friendly or completely oblivious to our presence. <br /><br />You could tell the Hemingway cats were used to people. We got to meet Betty Grable in the master bedroom. She was sound asleep on Hemingway's bed. It is one of her favorite spots. And while I did not catch the names of the other kitties on the property, we did encounter some really sweet and funny cats. One walked over to us, circled the ground, then flopped over on his belly so we could rub it. Another cat shared a bench with us. Another one followed us up one of the garden paths.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJKs9fEyotg/WWGIn3ZrUeI/AAAAAAAAFSY/e2ExmdqhVMU39lFioeBnpEFKbcVeca72ACLcBGAs/s1600/18424992_10211253171078522_10375618281129631_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJKs9fEyotg/WWGIn3ZrUeI/AAAAAAAAFSY/e2ExmdqhVMU39lFioeBnpEFKbcVeca72ACLcBGAs/s640/18424992_10211253171078522_10375618281129631_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Betty Grable's favorite haunt, Hemingway's original bed. </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgtOSsIdRWg/WWGIxRE2ADI/AAAAAAAAFSg/RjecqbIhxpMpcRfJrYKVgmeOXNhVl4GFwCLcBGAs/s1600/18403584_10211253172278552_1817263669232515091_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6g21Ldd-8ao/WWGIrqCPioI/AAAAAAAAFSc/Qb-TUzjsnUgvbvI9nWf-HHmTLvQI78UtwCLcBGAs/s400/18300950_10211253172238551_714446816825527737_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgtOSsIdRWg/WWGIxRE2ADI/AAAAAAAAFSg/RjecqbIhxpMpcRfJrYKVgmeOXNhVl4GFwCLcBGAs/s400/18403584_10211253172278552_1817263669232515091_n.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp; </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Betty Grable did not even flinch. She was fast asleep. That must be a cozy bed.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />They were everywhere. And yes, many of them had six toes. I had never seen a cat with six toes before so it was way weird but equally cool to see such big mitts on some of these kitts. We even saw some Maine coon cats. They were gorgeous but had to be sweltering in this heat. My son adores cats so this was probably the biggest thrill for him of the entire trip. He spent a lot of time searching for and petting all the cats.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BLw3ghIkfLY/WWGI8WKslPI/AAAAAAAAFSk/ZN0-7s_5dRMNbHUtxju80W_K-lwUqfv7gCLcBGAs/s1600/18342713_10211253177638686_5536926280088442411_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BLw3ghIkfLY/WWGI8WKslPI/AAAAAAAAFSk/ZN0-7s_5dRMNbHUtxju80W_K-lwUqfv7gCLcBGAs/s400/18342713_10211253177638686_5536926280088442411_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ySnYa9ElXE/WWGJA3siZrI/AAAAAAAAFSo/EV0O7YEQicQ7e1G_qakTS1x8v2j0KxUCQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402667_10211253178158699_5886006714524553271_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ySnYa9ElXE/WWGJA3siZrI/AAAAAAAAFSo/EV0O7YEQicQ7e1G_qakTS1x8v2j0KxUCQCLcBGAs/s400/18402667_10211253178158699_5886006714524553271_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>In memorium. Many Hemingway cats have come and gone long before our visit. </b></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zysk_2XqlgM/WWGJHpxozPI/AAAAAAAAFSs/vM97AYlbCS4VnlAU6iF2klr5D0ZSxjYvwCLcBGAs/s1600/18423790_10211253178318703_4351997805297201464_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hemingway cats" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zysk_2XqlgM/WWGJHpxozPI/AAAAAAAAFSs/vM97AYlbCS4VnlAU6iF2klr5D0ZSxjYvwCLcBGAs/s400/18423790_10211253178318703_4351997805297201464_n.jpg" title="Hemingway cats" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A portion of the pet cemetery at Hemingway House.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>We also paid our respects at the cat cemetery located near the carriage house. It was a very sweet tribute to all the former residents of Hemingway House. And Hemingway's love for cats reached across the Florida Strait into Cuba. His home in Cuba is also home to many cats as well as his yacht, Pilar. One day I would love to visit there as well. I have a feeling there will be a lot of price gouging on travel to Cuba for awhile though so I have no plans of visiting there any time soon. It is on the list though.<br /><br />As we said goodbye to Betty Grable, the Hemingway Cats and the home of a literary legend, a feeling of accomplishment and contentment came over me. No, my dream career of being a writer, or even a better, a travel writer may not have come true, but I do write. I do indulge in my passion. Just because I do not get paid to write does not mean I am not a writer. And no, I have not been all over the world having adventures but I have been to so many different places and have had countless adventures with good friends and family. I am constantly trying something new and fun while enjoying my tried and true favorites as well. Visiting here, listening to the stories and seeing the sights has inspired me in so many ways. <br /><br />I guess I am a Carpe Diem kind of gal after all.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #444444;">If you are in the Keys and would like to visit Hemingway House, click <a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/rates/" target="_blank">here</a> for information. </span></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Florida Keys Chronicles</span></u></b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank">#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West</a></b></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">#66 Visit The Southernmost Point In The USA</a></span></span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's House</a></b></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank">#479 Drive The Overseas Highway</a></span></b></span></div><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank">#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub</a></span></b></span></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTMG7R9VgLg/WWGMcDoZd3I/AAAAAAAAFTc/5wOYS5Xhy2MSVqBm2cvWqUxXbz8YLXb_wCLcBGAs/s1600/18403340_10211250359128225_2913389400198945854_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTMG7R9VgLg/WWGMcDoZd3I/AAAAAAAAFTc/5wOYS5Xhy2MSVqBm2cvWqUxXbz8YLXb_wCLcBGAs/s320/18403340_10211250359128225_2913389400198945854_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-39349649050944633432017-07-05T15:25:00.001-07:002017-07-09T18:12:39.024-07:00#66 Visit The Southern Most Point In The USA<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4716xXXho/WV1esJ-EF9I/AAAAAAAAFPs/BdmIvgrxFMwLq78Ghp638ruA6dl9FC5nACLcBGAs/s1600/18403346_10211251128627462_2082772482154460013_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Southernmost Point Buoy" border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="630" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4716xXXho/WV1esJ-EF9I/AAAAAAAAFPs/BdmIvgrxFMwLq78Ghp638ruA6dl9FC5nACLcBGAs/s400/18403346_10211251128627462_2082772482154460013_n.jpg" title="The Southernmost Point Buoy" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Southernmost Point Buoy </td></tr></tbody></table>The Southernmost point of the USA, I just had to visit there. It was on my Bucket List. I mean hello, Chrissy's Bucket List is a very important list. Unfortunately for me, the Southernmost point of the US is actually a restricted Naval Air Base so Plan B had to be activated. It was a classified mission. Careful planning and flawless precision were of the utmost importance if I were to successfully achieve this Bucket List goal. I had to call upon my deepest, darkest, ninja-like skills in order to execute Operation Plan B. And I don't like to call on the ninja part of me but, if necessary, I will in the blink of an eye. In this moment, the ninja was summoned.<br /><br />Note: Before I go any further though you need to know one thing, I can get in a lot of trouble for speaking about this mission. But, it needs to be shared. <br /><br />Nah, Just messing with youse. ( Youse: Translated from NEPA Slang to normal English = you.)<br /><br />I am afraid of jail. I wouldn't last a day in prison. I know this. Sneaking onto a restricted Naval Air Station had only one guaranteed outcome for me, another road trip. Only this road trip would not be an enjoyable road trip. It would be a one way road trip to federal prison. A prison definitely not on the Southernmost point of the US. I might as well just walk into a Federal prison already handcuffed with a bright neon sign hanging from my neck saying "guilty" and the word "dumbass" tattooed in a bold, black, Playbill font across my forehead.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-AO1x3VNHM/WV1iJFMr2oI/AAAAAAAAFQI/HIhunVu2gTo62M4YwpxaZVh_75cQJd81wCEwYBhgL/s1600/18301460_10211251128147450_4012856069771110980_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-AO1x3VNHM/WV1iJFMr2oI/AAAAAAAAFQI/HIhunVu2gTo62M4YwpxaZVh_75cQJd81wCEwYBhgL/s200/18301460_10211251128147450_4012856069771110980_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me...being me. </td></tr></tbody></table>I was well aware that the touristy Southernmost Point Buoy was not the actual Southernmost point of The US. I just found it to be really cool and colorful. I like colorful things. They are pretty. Also, and more importantly, this buoy is a part of the Key West culture and I am a when in Rome gal. Of course I wanted to experience as much Key West culture as possible. I wanted to experience Key West like a local. And while I am pretty sure locals do not take a bunch of photos and selfies by this huge tourist attraction, there are many locals who are aware of a more symbolic meaning behind this colorful buoy located <b>90 miles from Cuba</b>.<br /><br />Here is where I get deep. I am not gonna lie, I personally did not know there was so much symbolism behind this buoy until I began researching how to get to this buoy online. I knew it was not the exact southernmost point in the USA but I did believe it was a collective representation showcasing that the island of Key West is the southernmost part of the continental USA. And in a way, it does signify exactly that. But, when visiting this iconic buoy, if you take a moment to observe your surroundings, chances are you will never look at this buoy the same way again.<br /><br />They say on a clear day you can see Cuba from this standpoint.<br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zIdWQ8HQ2MM/WV1hzdPrGTI/AAAAAAAAFQE/9VTbdbtFGkIWTSWI0YCxXoxlo16ULuNWgCLcBGAs/s1600/18403024_10211251128307454_1381813565336384139_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zIdWQ8HQ2MM/WV1hzdPrGTI/AAAAAAAAFQE/9VTbdbtFGkIWTSWI0YCxXoxlo16ULuNWgCLcBGAs/s320/18403024_10211251128307454_1381813565336384139_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky waters near the buoy. I can't see Cuba .</td></tr></tbody></table>I peered across the vast water but I did not see Cuba in the distance. Cuba was definitely there though. It was 90 miles away. 90 miles. And what is 90 miles? 90 miles via automobile is about an hour and fifteen minutes. It's not the shortest car ride in the world but it is certainly not the longest. 90 miles is 475,200 feet. Depending on a boat's size and speed, 90 miles could be as little as a 3 hour jaunt or a 2 day sail. 90 miles on a flimsy raft in choppy seas, well, the outlook of surviving that journey is pretty slim. And attempts to swim 90 miles, unthinkable.<br /><br />If you look to the left of the buoy you will notice a memorial plaque. If you read that plaque then turn your attention back to the sea, you may find yourself starting to wonder about a few things. You may wonder just how harsh and unbearable a country could possibly be that thousands upon thousands of human beings were willing to chance the risk of dying, or watching a loved one die, to cross the very water you were gazing upon.<br /><br />You may begin to wonder what it could possibly be like to live in a country where free will is frowned upon and tyranny is the only way of life. You may begin to realize just how often you take your day to day rights and privileges for granted. We have the right to openly bitch about our country and it's politics. We have the right to make our own choices and decisions regarding our lives. We have the right to flourish and we have the right to wilt if we so choose. No, life is not always peachy and we have all had our fair share of hardships and disappointments but ultimately, we still have free will in this country.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nU58M2qzLkc/WV1e4WChqOI/AAAAAAAAFPw/MUjvOXYpkTQwlkdXCmh4Gw7k98ibLaTBgCEwYBhgL/s1600/18275237_10211251127787441_6573585256516419677_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Cuban Memorial" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nU58M2qzLkc/WV1e4WChqOI/AAAAAAAAFPw/MUjvOXYpkTQwlkdXCmh4Gw7k98ibLaTBgCEwYBhgL/s640/18275237_10211251127787441_6573585256516419677_n.jpg" title="Key West Cuban Memorial" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial dedicated to the many Cubans that lost their lives trying to flee Castro. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Thousands upon thousands of Cubans lost their lives trying to cross the Florida Straits in homemade rafts and flimsy sailing vessels in an attempt to flee the tyranny of their day to day lives. The chance for asylum in the land of the free was worth risking a watery death. Their brave journeys towards a better life were abruptly drowned by the temperamental seas they so eagerly fought to cross. How somber and devastating is it that they even had to make that choice? For many, when their feet stepped off the soils of their homeland of Cuba it would be the last time their feet ever touched the ground. They would never have the opportunity to step foot on United States soil. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KIk6xtQKUAs/WV1e-zXZZcI/AAAAAAAAFP0/TWfeU-BQjGQKTItnPHyoCKua9yeevD1WACLcBGAs/s1600/18301002_10211251127507434_3745768632798229108_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KIk6xtQKUAs/WV1e-zXZZcI/AAAAAAAAFP0/TWfeU-BQjGQKTItnPHyoCKua9yeevD1WACLcBGAs/s400/18301002_10211251127507434_3745768632798229108_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather And Ricky posing for one of my gagillion pics.</td></tr></tbody></table>It was all very heartbreaking for me to consume. I do not know many people of Cuban descent but the ones I do know are all wonderful human beings with big spirits, warm hearts and a strong sense of compassion. Their energy is very infectious, in a good way and I enjoy their company very much. I turned and snapped another picture of the buoy. I smiled. I found myself being very thankful. I was very thankful that I had the privilege and opportunity to take this vacation. I was very thankful that my children have many opportunities ahead of them. I was very thankful for this colorful buoy on this gorgeous island. I was very thankful to call the United States of America my home.<br /><br />I was very thankful that on a clear day, I can see forever. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Florida Keys Chronicles</span></u></b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank">#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West</a></b></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">#66 Visit The Southernmost Point In The USA</a></span></span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's House</a></b></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank">#479 Drive The Overseas Highway</a></span></b></span></div><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank">#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub</a></span></b></span></div><br /><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></span></b></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XvOvBbWcSxE/WV1lrNcYzWI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/SxJA2ifN1eoAr-8_VVPMYKzaexlKtreswCLcBGAs/s1600/18301670_10211248010069500_8560394147223200992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XvOvBbWcSxE/WV1lrNcYzWI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/SxJA2ifN1eoAr-8_VVPMYKzaexlKtreswCLcBGAs/s400/18301670_10211248010069500_8560394147223200992_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">&nbsp; </span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGxloomMEo8/WV1hf8lKJlI/AAAAAAAAFQA/9GYUaA_YW5Ec9OxZeJPlWTFzo16WW3blACLcBGAs/s1600/southernmost-point.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="269" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGxloomMEo8/WV1hf8lKJlI/AAAAAAAAFQA/9GYUaA_YW5Ec9OxZeJPlWTFzo16WW3blACLcBGAs/s320/southernmost-point.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cable Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvWnJEkXQO4/WV1f_kfJOLI/AAAAAAAAFP8/LbiBfkBRbv4rEmPvrXVAY9RCTUKqCIt3ACLcBGAs/s1600/18301281_10211251128747465_2619024937837828061_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvWnJEkXQO4/WV1f_kfJOLI/AAAAAAAAFP8/LbiBfkBRbv4rEmPvrXVAY9RCTUKqCIt3ACLcBGAs/s320/18301281_10211251128747465_2619024937837828061_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This structure protected the phone lines in the early 1900s.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-80386349305314009192017-06-28T15:48:00.002-07:002017-07-09T14:59:50.481-07:00#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58HhUpAu2Es/WVQpMBTDdwI/AAAAAAAAFOA/TkWouAUbW-Unn63j-gyRwv2DhDjRrWw6QCLcBGAs/s1600/18342540_10211245250200505_5182726704182795522_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58HhUpAu2Es/WVQpMBTDdwI/AAAAAAAAFOA/TkWouAUbW-Unn63j-gyRwv2DhDjRrWw6QCLcBGAs/s400/18342540_10211245250200505_5182726704182795522_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A No Name Pub</td></tr></tbody></table>No Name Key. How could you not want to visit a place where no name could possibly be given to it? I know I was intrigued. And in my research I found that not only was there a No Name Key but there was also a No Name Pub. Well I would definitely have to go there too I thought. I was really digging this whole anonymity thing going on in the Florida Keys.<br /><br />Sometimes we just want to disappear for a little while. Sometimes we get so tired of being labeled, categorized and filed away as a statistic. Sometimes, we just have to go off the grid for a bit and visit a No Name Key with A No Name Pub and drink a No Name Beer. <br /><br />And that my friends, is exactly what I did!<br /><br />For a few hours on a Sunday afternoon my family and I slipped into anonymity. But before I go any further, let's get logistics out of the way. "Technically" No Name Pub is on Big Pine Key. No Name Key is just a hop, skip and a jump away though. We drove around No Name Key looking for Key Deer but that is for another blog. Anyways, never let the truth or logistics get in the way of a good story right? As far as I am concerned, I was on No Name Key. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uAXvr8MhgI/WVQpan2KsDI/AAAAAAAAFOE/8Tq7saI1isMAJn4bGch3ndietNOBZmPTQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402798_10211245255560639_913037764770751553_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uAXvr8MhgI/WVQpan2KsDI/AAAAAAAAFOE/8Tq7saI1isMAJn4bGch3ndietNOBZmPTQCLcBGAs/s400/18402798_10211245255560639_913037764770751553_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Name Roosters</td></tr></tbody></table>And once we found No Name Pub out in the boonies, we were all too excited to enjoy some grub since we were beginning to feel a little hangry. Well, we were just hungry. There is no anger in the Florida Keys, just smiles for miles.<br /><br />As I pulled into a spot by some brush behind the pub, we also had our first encounter with the rooster phenomenon of the Florida Keys. This colorful fella was there to greet us as we got out of the car. We were a little nervous he would attack us, especially since he was watching us intently in a rooster stance, but he didn't. He was in his own little No Name World.<br /><br />We found the entrance of the pub, stepped inside, then proceeded to gasp at the amount of dollar bills covering almost every possible surface in the bar. The walls, the ceilings, the rafters, the trim and the mouldings, they were all covered in dollar bills. This was wicked cool. There were patches and dollar bills from FDNY as well as many other fire companies and law enforcement fraternities from all over the country hanging across the bar as well. This place was obviously well loved with locals and travelers alike. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hz3WQ6giY98/WVQvqU6NHKI/AAAAAAAAFOw/Eh55-0bIiI4mV0ft8fTxp59PXvtnm_fXQCLcBGAs/s1600/19554092_10211690318206927_6646947448621604171_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hz3WQ6giY98/WVQvqU6NHKI/AAAAAAAAFOw/Eh55-0bIiI4mV0ft8fTxp59PXvtnm_fXQCLcBGAs/s640/19554092_10211690318206927_6646947448621604171_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found it! I genuinely loved this place and will definitely visit again.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8cT7g3NGU34/WVQprEv28EI/AAAAAAAAFOM/N1Wubrwsky4qfizopyaoK-AQXd3F_SsggCLcBGAs/s1600/18301783_10211245244440361_4530666701125907471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lxy7AoQHM3w/WVQpvEnEuOI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/DTB7mXeEfUQ6jm2R9vR1Um98ctCdQfJ1gCLcBGAs/s320/18341777_10211245244120353_6445263006936549558_n.jpg" width="320" /><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8cT7g3NGU34/WVQprEv28EI/AAAAAAAAFOM/N1Wubrwsky4qfizopyaoK-AQXd3F_SsggCLcBGAs/s320/18301783_10211245244440361_4530666701125907471_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />We decided to dine at the bar. I am glad we did too. The bartender was so awesome! We took our seats and began browsing the menu. While the prices were not cheap, they were not crazy either. Let's just say the food is delicious and the portions are very generous. The dishes we ordered were well worth the price. The food was made from scratch too. This was not over processed food by any means.<br /><br />I chose the spinach, artichoke and lobster dip as my meal. It was amazing. There were chunks of real lobster mixed in with the creamy spinach and artichoke dip. The tortilla chips were homemade and fresh. My daughter ordered the pizza burger and fries, which she enjoyed very much. Their fries were very tasty. They also weren't your normal fries. They were deep fried potato coins. They were crunchy and soft all at the same time. I need to try to make these at home. My son got a calzone. Madone was it huge. It was the biggest calzone I have ever seen. The bartender and the patron sitting next to my son were both very impressed that my son was able to finish it. He also said his food was delicious.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tcB7GQWzFI/WVQqVzE2o_I/AAAAAAAAFOc/ZPM4rXPdRWAF03KFc2mCqwcrNw7Kc7FlACLcBGAs/s1600/18300927_10211245249960499_8387466006783949573_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v5HHBCf9ZQ/WVQqH7XAvsI/AAAAAAAAFOU/8dyV0UWzmQ07xHka436H4QABTfMMTFgYwCLcBGAs/s400/18341791_10211245245080377_1414184419172283619_n.jpg" width="300" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tcB7GQWzFI/WVQqVzE2o_I/AAAAAAAAFOc/ZPM4rXPdRWAF03KFc2mCqwcrNw7Kc7FlACLcBGAs/s400/18300927_10211245249960499_8387466006783949573_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jx8OtY50HM0/WVQqOcdKlDI/AAAAAAAAFOY/C7_tU8hYFug-3Na8NvmkQizUa7fms3hxQCLcBGAs/s1600/18403610_10211245250160504_5616324784006104880_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jx8OtY50HM0/WVQqOcdKlDI/AAAAAAAAFOY/C7_tU8hYFug-3Na8NvmkQizUa7fms3hxQCLcBGAs/s640/18403610_10211245250160504_5616324784006104880_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious, made from scratch food. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />I washed down my meal with a No Name Amber draught. Now I am not a beer drinker by any means but sometimes on a hot day I will find myself craving a cold one here and there. I maybe drink 12-15 beers a year and it is mostly during the really, really hot days of summer. That or when the Pittsburgh Steelers piss me off so bad that I proceed to consume all the alcohol in the house. It's never enough to numb the kind of pain my Steelers like to inflict upon me though. So then I have no choice but to resort to chugging the random can of beer that always seems to be looming in the back of my fridge. This final act brings my Steelers induced alcohol binge full circle.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GLbLZICJXlo/WVQviyBqqAI/AAAAAAAAFOs/ueNNUH1_QM4GbYkbPAg_vU2ccnmw1lcUgCLcBGAs/s1600/19554272_10211690317086899_6138847272773490587_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="261" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GLbLZICJXlo/WVQviyBqqAI/AAAAAAAAFOs/ueNNUH1_QM4GbYkbPAg_vU2ccnmw1lcUgCLcBGAs/s400/19554272_10211690317086899_6138847272773490587_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A No Name Beer</td></tr></tbody></table>It never ends well for me either. I always end up very sick and it is all the Steelers fault! But enough of that. Let's get back to my enjoyable No Name beer. This amber ale was absolutely perfect for an 83 degree spring afternoon in Florida. The flavor wasn't too deep but definitely deeper than I was used to. I was very impressed that I genuinely liked it, especially because I prefer very pale, very light beers when I get my hankerings.<br /><br />My No Name Beer was cool, crisp and refreshing. I am trying to think of a comparison beer to give my real beer drinking friends and idea of what my No Name Beer tasted like. I would say it definitely reminded me of Yuengling Lager, which I do enjoy. I also got a wicked buzz off of it. Beer does that to me.<br /><br />We hung around No Name pub until I finished a soda and the buzz calmed down. Of course we also had to partake in tradition during our visit to No Name Pub. When in Rome people! When in Rome. We needed to make the visit official by leaving our mark with an autographed dollar bill for the wall. The bartender gladly obliged our request by handing us a basket with markers and a staple gun. We each took a turn personalizing the dollar bill. My son had the honors of finding the perfect place to hang it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXDu3gb9Oxs/WVQv7OSCirI/AAAAAAAAFO4/lNC0mosV4es4Ocyz3sRv8PVtwjvbt9sGQCLcBGAs/s1600/18268657_10211245252240556_611898356593928736_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1TuvrXqXq5A/WVQv-pTRyoI/AAAAAAAAFO8/lbKynylbQTMAJ2DzFimUp5KJMqFG3Oo5wCLcBGAs/s320/18275093_10211245251800545_6884240018333013678_n.jpg" width="240" /><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXDu3gb9Oxs/WVQv7OSCirI/AAAAAAAAFO4/lNC0mosV4es4Ocyz3sRv8PVtwjvbt9sGQCLcBGAs/s320/18268657_10211245252240556_611898356593928736_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gFDmI2eUXU/WVQvvdAksDI/AAAAAAAAFO0/M-GQ4BoNLKwGE15PKby83qmgHTMVbcICQCLcBGAs/s640/18402881_10211245251200530_8726319769682451594_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving our mark in No Name Pub. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Once our mission was completed, we said our goodbyes to our bartender then stepped back into the warm Florida sunshine. We spent some time outside admiring the colorful decor. No Name Pub is very protective of their trees. Every tree had a warning sign not to carve names and the like in their bark because they were alive. I found that gesture to be so awesome!<br /><br />Our loud mouthed rooster friend who greeted us earlier, when we first arrived, was now perched on a large tree stump by the outdoor dining area of the pub. He was crowing to another rooster whom was hiding behind a tall wooden fence across the street from the pub. It was very amusing to hear the two of them go back and forth. I have no idea what they were saying to each other but it seemed like some pretty deep stuff.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_8f9DoWhLCo/WVQwk4OQJwI/AAAAAAAAFPI/B7hjwAZ0w7U2Cw51ANoxVKUEMiXA0DAIgCLcBGAs/s1600/18301587_10211245253680592_9037311329738596729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXfKTVP4qfg/WVQwgs8LqiI/AAAAAAAAFPE/8Q4RC2JCY24PX0XvezO4UN3UC2UojiY6ACLcBGAs/s400/18301844_10211245257000675_4651956305938404454_n.jpg" width="300" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_8f9DoWhLCo/WVQwk4OQJwI/AAAAAAAAFPI/B7hjwAZ0w7U2Cw51ANoxVKUEMiXA0DAIgCLcBGAs/s400/18301587_10211245253680592_9037311329738596729_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBI-BGWdcg8/WVQwpWL7mbI/AAAAAAAAFPM/PrWX53bRl3QeOe8sIXRNKDuOIb18f4cAwCLcBGAs/s1600/18425260_10211245250520513_5862956014839856554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBI-BGWdcg8/WVQwpWL7mbI/AAAAAAAAFPM/PrWX53bRl3QeOe8sIXRNKDuOIb18f4cAwCLcBGAs/s640/18425260_10211245250520513_5862956014839856554_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Name Pub. An incredible representation of the Florida Keys. Awesome in every way possible. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />The sun was very hot but so welcome to this Pennsylvania gal. By now it was nearing 2pm. It was almost time to check into our hotel in Sugarloaf Key. The time had come for us to lose our anonymity and regain our identities. Damn! I very much enjoyed being a No Name. I also knew I would most definitely patronize this business again for sure on my next jaunt to the Keys. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip.<br /><br />In closing, if you are looking to lose yourself for a little while and have some great food and drink, then I would recommend taking a journey to No Name Key to visit a No Name Pub and enjoy a No Name Beer. They even have a rooster welcoming committee. Now get lost!! <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Check out No Name Pub <span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="http://www.nonamepub.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Florida Keys Chronicles- My Adventures</span></u></span></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West</span></a></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">#66 Visit The Southernmost Point In The USA</a></span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's House&nbsp;</a> </span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">#479 Drive The Overseas Highway</span></span></a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub</span></span></a></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L-cx0aQFWOo/WVQwzsiD1zI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/vqmTUPKfuAMZIESpvqdAvhKIg7lcF5j6gCLcBGAs/s1600/18300923_10211245244640366_7648525519297872360_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L-cx0aQFWOo/WVQwzsiD1zI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/vqmTUPKfuAMZIESpvqdAvhKIg7lcF5j6gCLcBGAs/s400/18300923_10211245244640366_7648525519297872360_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-68307638225742359672017-06-25T16:15:00.001-07:002017-07-23T11:27:47.718-07:00#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MhfWSWUGC7U/WVBA7VqhrII/AAAAAAAAFMo/xUtIuqBSdiUbaSuKZUOm-yfa59jyS2xoQCLcBGAs/s1600/18300980_10211250361448283_2647534732602783727_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MhfWSWUGC7U/WVBA7VqhrII/AAAAAAAAFMo/xUtIuqBSdiUbaSuKZUOm-yfa59jyS2xoQCLcBGAs/s400/18300980_10211250361448283_2647534732602783727_n.jpg" title="Key Lime Pie Bakery " width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky having a Key Lime Soda. Heather having Coconut Cream Pie. </td></tr></tbody></table>I have mentioned several times in the past that I am a when in Rome kinda gal so logically, when in Key West, I wanted to try some local cuisine. In other words, I was on a quest for some tasty, refreshing Key Lime Pie. I decided to go to the Key Lime Republic and Coconut Factory for my first taste of Key Lime goodness. The Key Lime Republic, also known as the Key Lime Pie Bakery is the birthplace of Key Lime Pie. It says so right on their building. Key Lime Pie was born in 1856. There is even a plaque commemorating this wonderful event.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Not gonna lie, that plaque also made me feel very young. I already loved this place and I didn't even try the pie yet. We entered the shop and began browsing all things key lime. Wow. I never knew you could put key lime in so many things. There was key lime taffy, key lime rum cake, key lime coconut patties, key lime mojito mix, key lime truffles, key lime salsa, key lime cat and dog treats, key lime lip gloss, key lime lemonade mix, and key lime meatloaf mix to name a few items. Okay, I am kidding about the last one but I would not be shocked if a key lime meatloaf mix did exist somewhere.<br /><br />After browsing, I walked up to the counter and ordered a piece of key lime pie. The pie pieces were already cut and pre-packaged. I gave the nice lady my money and sat at one of the little tables, eager to bite into my little slice of key lime heaven. With my fork, I scooped up the tip of the pie and shoveled it in my mouth. I was starving. Immediately I noticed it was very tart. I liked that. The flavor of key lime burst through my mouth engulfing my taste buds with it's crisp, citrus flavor.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1p4P2WwB1wA/WVBA2GMjDvI/AAAAAAAAFMk/1jFYVoTdy7ENe_e7d09hc3CTaAK1NitFACEwYBhgL/s1600/18301510_10211250360568261_2747814157289462490_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1p4P2WwB1wA/WVBA2GMjDvI/AAAAAAAAFMk/1jFYVoTdy7ENe_e7d09hc3CTaAK1NitFACEwYBhgL/s400/18301510_10211250360568261_2747814157289462490_n.jpg" title="Key Lime Pie Bakery " width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key Lime Pie Bakery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />They definitely did not skimp on the key lime. If the light yellow color of the pie did not convince me of the authenticity of this being a true key lime pie, the flavor certainly did. This was the real deal right here. I also noted that this pie wasn't overly sweet, which was also a good thing. Some key lime pies are more sugar and cream with only a hint of key lime flavor. The Key Lime Pie Bakery made sure you knew you were indulging in true key lime pie. The flavor was outstanding. If I had one teeny tiny complaint it would be the crust.<br /><br />The crust is just a basic graham cracker crust but again, I wouldn't necessarily log this as a bad thing. Key Lime was the star of this show. The cream, the sugar, and the crust were not intended as a mask for a mediocre key lime pie like many others I have tried. When you tasted this pie, you tasted key lime. End of story.&nbsp; I totally understood why this shop was one of the top rated places to try key lime pie. I was very pleased with my choice of The Key Lime Republic for having authentic Key Lime Pie in Key West.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dvclKRyYbo/WVBBntIwYWI/AAAAAAAAFMw/kw4Kdu51vxAgMq7MmLJuGiDi1LW59oDjACLcBGAs/s1600/18301372_10211250359888244_2888221202216359355_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt=" Key Lime Pie Bakery" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2dvclKRyYbo/WVBBntIwYWI/AAAAAAAAFMw/kw4Kdu51vxAgMq7MmLJuGiDi1LW59oDjACLcBGAs/s320/18301372_10211250359888244_2888221202216359355_n.jpg" title=" Key Lime Pie Bakery" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slice of perfect Key Lime Pie from Key Lime Pie Bakery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This would be the only Key Lime pie I would have in Key West. While I love Key Lime pie, it is not something I can eat in mass amounts. I was okay with that too because I knew I had tried the best, most authentic pie on the island. That was my goal and I had successfully achieved it. I was content. My thirst, quenched. My daughter decided to try their other specialty pie, coconut cream pie. She really enjoyed hers as well. <br /><br />The next day I did try a Key Lime Raspberry cupcake at Key West Cakes. Raspberry and lime mixed together is one of my favorite combos. It is right up there with blueberry and lemon. Heaven! The cupcake was huge and delectable. The flavor of key lime was drenched throughout the cupcake. The raspberry gel was tart which was a good contrast for the super sweet icing. For $3.95 I thought this cupcake was a excellent deal. I have seen cupcakes of this size go for $5 and $6 elsewhere.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Key West Cakes" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PYF1yuDuuZU/WVBBwXd_4YI/AAAAAAAAFM0/9OcrocIPcKANxET9-JTU6Z2BlywCgzr5QCLcBGAs/s400/18402799_10211253243080322_204143707048921824_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Key West Cakes" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key West Cakes...Awesomeness!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LL9JNaEVg88/WVLXeYMYbII/AAAAAAAAFNw/XB_oYBhdfJwHi9Gpt7ljYwjeC2XU8lVWQCLcBGAs/s1600/18403505_10211253244280352_7447005594856735957_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LL9JNaEVg88/WVLXeYMYbII/AAAAAAAAFNw/XB_oYBhdfJwHi9Gpt7ljYwjeC2XU8lVWQCLcBGAs/s400/18403505_10211253244280352_7447005594856735957_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry Key Lime and Heath Bar Cupcakes</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7E9VmaSo7AY/WVBCxNU1eVI/AAAAAAAAFNM/AbOT0cF2HK8EW67mSYk5G0GNYHQAv8sywCLcBGAs/s1600/18301960_10211253243920343_6583755286099136122_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Key West Cakes" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7E9VmaSo7AY/WVBCxNU1eVI/AAAAAAAAFNM/AbOT0cF2HK8EW67mSYk5G0GNYHQAv8sywCLcBGAs/s400/18301960_10211253243920343_6583755286099136122_n.jpg" title="Key West Cakes" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some beauties from Key West Cakes. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>My heart still belongs to the local cupcake shop in Hazleton. Whipped Sweet Shoppe is in a league all their own but Key West Cakes was certainly a wonderful bakery with delicious treats and great prices. After leaving Key West Cakes I officially declared myself done with key lime. As much as I love it, like I mentioned above, I can only do it once in awhile. So, when we went to Mrs. Mac's Kitchen in Key Largo for dinner and our server mentioned their award winning key lime pie, I was not at all interested in trying it.<br /><br />Who was I kidding though? This man was very convincing. Also, The Food Network and The Cooking Channel loved this place. Mrs. Mac's was showcased on several famous cooking shows including Emeril's! Okay, wrap it up I told him. If Emeril had this place on his show, I was sold. Emeril is my cooking god. I left the restaurant toting a piece of key lime pie with me that I would eat as a snack later that night. I honestly didn't think I could do another piece of key lime pie. I figured if I didn't eat it, one of the kids would. Eventually though, curiosity got the best of me. I figured I would try a few bites.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3b6Ma5EvXy0/WVBB-b-vRcI/AAAAAAAAFM8/Hgoc6RMeB58yuwgCZDCUI67FcwqWNUsaACLcBGAs/s1600/18446734_10211278796319137_1853379609615641059_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mrs. Mac's Key Lime pie" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3b6Ma5EvXy0/WVBB-b-vRcI/AAAAAAAAFM8/Hgoc6RMeB58yuwgCZDCUI67FcwqWNUsaACLcBGAs/s400/18446734_10211278796319137_1853379609615641059_n.jpg" title="Mrs. Mac's Key Lime pie" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs. Mac's Key Lime Pie! Wow!!1 </td></tr></tbody></table>I walked over to the fridge, grabbed the pie, and sat at the glass and wicker bistro table in my hotel room. Reluctantly, I dived into this key lime pie.<br /><br />Oh.My.God!!!!!!!<br />Oh my god!!!!<br /><br />I began thanking the good lord for allowing me this weak moment and accepted this heavenly piece of pie into my life. It was so goooooooood. Seriously. The pie had a sugary, pecan graham cracker crust. The key lime flavor was very strong but not at all tart. How did they do that? The consistency was less of a cheesecake texture and more of an actual cream pie. And boy, real cream was definitely used in this pie. The dollops of whipped cream on top of the pie were also made from really whipping cream.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mn1kT-r4pw4/WVBCEdNJxJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/LCpZ7cM1_HwbBiawxmw1MATVoKd7FUhVwCLcBGAs/s1600/18341835_10211260877911188_6671307185253269249_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mrs. Mac's Key Lime pie" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mn1kT-r4pw4/WVBCEdNJxJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/LCpZ7cM1_HwbBiawxmw1MATVoKd7FUhVwCLcBGAs/s320/18341835_10211260877911188_6671307185253269249_n.jpg" title="Mrs. Mac's Key Lime pie" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs. Mac's decor!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />What amazed me about this pie was that with all of its different flavors bursting at the seams, the graham, the pecans, the sugar, and the cream combined with it's not being tart at all, the key lime still managed to be the star of the show. You definitely knew you were eating authentic key lime pie. Part of me is so mad I got that pie because I will definitely be craving it and there is no way I will find a key lime pie like that in Pennsylvania. Dammit!<br /><br />In closing, not only did I have the best Key Lime Pie in Key West, I also had the best Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys. This bucket list accomplishment was a fun and fantastic one to achieve that's for sure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Key Lime Hot Spots&nbsp;</span></span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="http://www.mrsmacskitchen.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Mac's Kitchen&nbsp; Key Largo</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://key-lime-pie-bakery.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Key Lime Pie Company, Key West </a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://www.keywestcakes.com/" target="_blank">Key West Cakes</a></span></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Florida Keys Chronicles- My Adventures</span></u></span></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West</span></a></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">#66 Visit The Southernmost Point In The USA</a></span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's House&nbsp;</a> </span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">#479 Drive The Overseas Highway</span></span></a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub</span></span></a></h3><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;times&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o05MoxOMZQ8/WVBCMLNBzPI/AAAAAAAAFNE/-YMbf50RNNMSs8e1cIA5pY7PXQYpGmwnwCLcBGAs/s1600/18402686_10211251028784966_2298882089408709086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="274" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o05MoxOMZQ8/WVBCMLNBzPI/AAAAAAAAFNE/-YMbf50RNNMSs8e1cIA5pY7PXQYpGmwnwCLcBGAs/s400/18402686_10211251028784966_2298882089408709086_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-51129641084009214012017-06-22T16:54:00.002-07:002017-09-10T07:59:11.433-07:00#479 Drive The Overseas Highway<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XODBfvF-e68/WUnW-8GSOFI/AAAAAAAAFHs/v8LEBkIA8eQM7SuRHZsEme9xeiy7oKEJQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402686_10211251028784966_2298882089408709086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mile 0 Key West" border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="274" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XODBfvF-e68/WUnW-8GSOFI/AAAAAAAAFHs/v8LEBkIA8eQM7SuRHZsEme9xeiy7oKEJQCLcBGAs/s1600/18402686_10211251028784966_2298882089408709086_n.jpg" title="Mile 0 Key West" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I have arrived at Mile 0!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Take a deep breath because here we go!!!!<br /><br />The Overseas Highway is a 113 mile long jaunt across the Florida Straits and the Gulf Of Mexico starting in Key Largo and ending on Whitehead Street in Key West. It's comprised of 42 bridges, the longest being the Seven Mile Bridge. At it's highest point the highway is 65 feet above the water. Parts of the Overseas Highway were built over rail beds from the now defunct Overseas Railroad. A devastating Category 5 hurricane blew through the Florida Keys during Labor Day Weekend in 1935 killing over 400 people while destroying many parts of the Overseas Railroad. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"></div>I had researched pictures of the Overseas Highway online. Aerial pictures. They were a little scary and intimidating. It did not help that some of the pictures I researched were not labeled properly. Photos of the old Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda Bridge were mixed in with pictures of the actual Overseas Highway.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WrA1bbZ0Ck0/WUw_cG9CnPI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/57UqbQgeePU5MX8EdD_2rUVzKHX5r-5vACLcBGAs/s1600/Old7Mile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WrA1bbZ0Ck0/WUw_cG9CnPI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/57UqbQgeePU5MX8EdD_2rUVzKHX5r-5vACLcBGAs/s320/Old7Mile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seven Mile Bridge with a piece missing! Oh snap!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>They made me shit myself. Not gonna lie. For a split second I had thought about spending the ridiculous amount of money it would cost to fly my family and myself directly into Key West to avoid driving this road. <br /><br />But, thanks to some really nice folks who uploaded videos of their drives over the Overseas Highway on YouTube, I felt better. Sometimes I do a little too much research and terrify myself. It is always good to be prepared but it's also good to not destroy your dreams over the 8 million, out of this world, worst case scenarios that most likely will not happen. Seriously, I can literally go from Samuel L. Jackson bad ass muther f@cker to a scared little candy ass in like 0.0001 seconds. And the pep talks I give myself.....<br /><br />It's like that come to the dark side Kermit the Frog meme.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hsv-iYt3DLM/WUxB1w6TAOI/AAAAAAAAFIo/6WFsLwmR7wES2KCx8ln3j5tiA3nR10m_wCLcBGAs/s1600/1rctsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="700" height="185" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hsv-iYt3DLM/WUxB1w6TAOI/AAAAAAAAFIo/6WFsLwmR7wES2KCx8ln3j5tiA3nR10m_wCLcBGAs/s400/1rctsh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b>Innocent Kermit aka candy ass me is like</b>: "I don't know if I can drive that road. It seems really scary. That's a lot of water. What if the car goes off the bridge and plunges into the ocean? What if the bridge suddenly floods with water? What if the bridge breaks in half? I saw those pictures. They scared me. What if I take the wrong exit and drive into the ocean? What if an alligator gets in the car and bites me? What if there is a Sharknado?"<br /><br /><b>Dark Side Kermit aka bad ass me is like:</b> "There is no WAY in hell you are paying $1200 to fly into Key West. You don't make that kind of money. Besides dork, you wanted to see all of the Florida Keys. How the hell are you supposed to do that from Key West? Oh, you are driving that road sissy girl. And you are going to drive it with a rental car that you are not used to driving. Now put on your big girl pants and let's rock this biatch!"<br /><br />So that went down one Sunday night back in late March. And honestly, it is not at all a scary ride. It's actually a gorgeous drive.<br /><br />Let me take you along for the ride.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5Eh7reXi0/WUxBffNCOXI/AAAAAAAAFIk/JkM2N1DE2P4ao6yxpoc6i3IKMHuxzBglACLcBGAs/s1600/ar129407585914631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="800" height="419" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5Eh7reXi0/WUxBffNCOXI/AAAAAAAAFIk/JkM2N1DE2P4ao6yxpoc6i3IKMHuxzBglACLcBGAs/s640/ar129407585914631.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />My family and I packed up our Red Toyota Corolla Rental car and off we went. There was much debate about this car initially. Alamo told me to choose whichever car I wanted in the package class I selected. I was so thrilled that I could choose my car. That was sweet. Initially, we were all drawn to the red car. My son suggested we should pick the red car but my daughter and I were like, red draws attention from cops. ( Not that I was going to be all bad ass or anything. ) I sat in several silver, white and black cars. None of them were as comfortable as the Corolla. Besides, I probably would never buy a red car so why not drive one for the trip. It was fun and different. The red Corolla won!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aE5mRpM65h8/WUxKnprb4HI/AAAAAAAAFJM/chb4qFjpkE0x90_VHJpmVTRu8dT3pcQnQCLcBGAs/s1600/19399373_10211632920492020_412316012186975804_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aE5mRpM65h8/WUxKnprb4HI/AAAAAAAAFJM/chb4qFjpkE0x90_VHJpmVTRu8dT3pcQnQCLcBGAs/s320/19399373_10211632920492020_412316012186975804_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our little red Corvette. Ok. Ok. Our little red Corolla.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>And let me tell you about the gas mileage on this car. I left Ft. Lauderdale with a full tank of gas. I drove all the way down to Key West, stopping many times along the way. I drove back from Key West to our hotel in Sugarloaf Key. The next morning I once again drove to Key West, drove all over Key West, then proceeded to drive around Big Pine Key and No Name Key. The gas needle on the car was just starting to fall below a half tank at this point. I was totally awestruck. I own a Jeep Patriot. Not the worst on mileage but certainly not the best either. The Corolla was AMAZING on gas. And I did enjoy the back up camera as well. :)<br /><br />Note: (I did not take the Sound Card Road Route to the Overseas Highway. However, due to a wrong turn around 1:00AM while looking for a hotel in Florida City, I was actually driving on Sound Card Road for a little bit without realizing it. It was very dark and scary so I got off that road ASAP. LOL.)<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbmL8XgiWE8/WSOcZE9cw1I/AAAAAAAAFFU/3hczozUz9YIqsnHc3iJbuRhfiW3MXIiwwCLcB/s1600/4799430193_ee9d578f82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbmL8XgiWE8/WSOcZE9cw1I/AAAAAAAAFFU/3hczozUz9YIqsnHc3iJbuRhfiW3MXIiwwCLcB/s320/4799430193_ee9d578f82.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>We are not in Pennsylvania anymore!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>As I drove through Florida City on US 1 aka South Dixie Highway, I couldn't help but admire all the towering palm trees lining the highway. Medians filled with tropical foliage and colorful flowers made the main drag even more pretty. The further south I headed, the cityscape, with it's restaurants, hotels and shopping centers, was replaced by the fenced in foliage of the Everglades.<br /><br />I had a feeling the fencing was put in place to keep the crocs and other wildlife creatures in the park and off the road. I don't know why, but a sense of relief washed over me. Was I expecting to find hundreds of reptile gangs roaming the streets trying to jack cars and eat people for lunch? Even I am not quite sure the answer to that one folks. There were several crocodile crossing signs posted along the highway as a warning though, just in case.<br /><br />Kids, we are not in Pennsylvania anymore.<br /><br />I noticed the concrete barriers along the highway were painted a pale blue color, making it even more beach-like. I was filled with a nervous elation that was consuming every part of me. I could not wait to see what the Overseas Highway had in store for us. Let's go, let's go, let's go!<br /><b><br /></b><b>122 miles to Key West.</b><br /><br />Once I passed Manatee Creek I was still driving on US Route 1 but it was no longer called the Dixie Highway. I was now officially on the Overseas Highway. As we ascended the bridge over Jewfish Creek in North Key Largo, the scene took my breath away. The bridge elevated high above the water. It felt as if the world beneath us had disappeared for a moment. My only view was that of sand colored asphalt, arctic blue barriers, azure blue skies and fluffy white clouds. I gasped at the beauty. It felt as if I were driving in the sky.<br /><br />Could this be the Stairway to Heaven? Perhaps it is.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dvoV6nz6h5o/WUxCWi0ypjI/AAAAAAAAFIw/Melu83S8aeUnLZ8-WT7utIBGgZt1nXeCgCLcBGAs/s1600/Top_of_Jewfish_Creek_Bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dvoV6nz6h5o/WUxCWi0ypjI/AAAAAAAAFIw/Melu83S8aeUnLZ8-WT7utIBGgZt1nXeCgCLcBGAs/s400/Top_of_Jewfish_Creek_Bridge.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Top of the Jewfish Creek Bridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Eventually the arctic blue barriers faded away and Floridian greenery began lining the drive again. Driving through Key Largo was really like driving the main street of any city. There were gas stations, hotels, grocery stores, bars and shopping centers lining either side of the highway. It reminded me of driving Rio Grande Blvd in Southern New Jersey. Definitely touristy in spots but also very hometown USA as well.<br /><br />Residential homes were nestled behind tropical foliage and 3-4 foot high stone walls and fencing. We really got a kick out of all the manatee mailbox statues poised in front of the houses. Some homeowners dressed their manatees with grass skirts, colorful leis and strings of lights. Some of them were painted in pastels and sporting shades. Others were still donning bunny ears and baskets of colorful eggs from Easter. Some manatees were even accompanied by baby manatees. They were quirky, fun and adorable.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_rW7RIUplk/WUxDZ_3DsII/AAAAAAAAFI4/rUs3OrwKw4kM95knfLcmErcjjV2rj-0nwCLcBGAs/s1600/cute-mailboxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="550" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S_rW7RIUplk/WUxDZ_3DsII/AAAAAAAAFI4/rUs3OrwKw4kM95knfLcmErcjjV2rj-0nwCLcBGAs/s320/cute-mailboxes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Manatee and Dolphin mailboxes. So cute!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0QBHsNfp4A/WUxDirofqwI/AAAAAAAAFI8/n3MWExGMdA4BNLQEr-zXx0EiBjpVqqQNwCLcBGAs/s1600/fec99ce16023ef11fbe0be56d61b6f10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0QBHsNfp4A/WUxDirofqwI/AAAAAAAAFI8/n3MWExGMdA4BNLQEr-zXx0EiBjpVqqQNwCLcBGAs/s320/fec99ce16023ef11fbe0be56d61b6f10.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Awwww. Mommy and baby.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table><br />I had to laugh because throughout my journey along the Overseas Highway, I was kind of reminded of Pennsylvania in a way. Many homes throughout the Keys had garbage cans in front of their houses filled with mass quantities of huge, dead palm leaves to be taken with the trash. All my life I have witnessed that sight in PA. Only instead of palm leaves, it's bags upon bags of crunchy maple and oak leaves waiting to be disposed. Anyways, I just found this to be neat. Guess we all have to deal with shedding trees no matter what part of the country we live.<br /><br />Eventually Key Largo faded into the background and we cruised into the town of Tavernier. There had to be 100 motor boats perched along the highway, some on hitches, others hanging from racks. All of them were for sale. Boat dealerships definitely outnumbered car dealerships in the Keys. There were also several marinas and canals where fishing vessels were making their way into the Gulf of Mexico for some quality time with rod and reel. The Keys were definitely known for their fishing excursions.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E6EUZME0zI0/WUxLjsyYUlI/AAAAAAAAFJY/2t-m8KNjNI8Bkkw8ZXvdmigQT1p0Dk9ogCLcBGAs/s1600/18425299_10211275783443817_3313231312974754223_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E6EUZME0zI0/WUxLjsyYUlI/AAAAAAAAFJY/2t-m8KNjNI8Bkkw8ZXvdmigQT1p0Dk9ogCLcBGAs/s400/18425299_10211275783443817_3313231312974754223_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A fishing canal in Plantation Key</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We crossed the Tavernier Creek waterway and entered into Plantation Key, which is one of the keys belonging to Islamorada, the Village of Islands. Souvenir shops painted in yellows and pinks and all the colors of the sea had equally colorful metal sculptures, garden flags and other outdoor treasures displayed around their vibrant island shops. Baby palms still in their infancy were swaying in the breeze, propped up by little wooden stilts to assist in growing nice strong trunks. I also noticed that Old State Route 4A paralleled the Overseas Highway. I never did actually drive on it though. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BDcEezpDFOE/WUxNoLix4CI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/uVXVgCBMXR0RYhinzS-M2sCIZNuRgw9yACLcBGAs/s1600/11c18624620589a0ed2ef777c3455a0b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="575" height="283" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BDcEezpDFOE/WUxNoLix4CI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/uVXVgCBMXR0RYhinzS-M2sCIZNuRgw9yACLcBGAs/s320/11c18624620589a0ed2ef777c3455a0b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Silver palms. </b></td></tr></tbody></table>We crossed the Snake Creek bridge into Windley Key, another part of Islamorada. I think this is where I got my first glimpse of super tall palms with only the teeniest patches of leaves on the top. I had no idea if they grew this way or it they were trimmed back. They were pretty cool though. I also began to take notice of these striking, silvery palms mixed in with the other assorted greenery. They glistened in the sun. Their spikey leaves were shaped like perfect, razor sharp fans. They were absolutely gorgeous and I wanted one for my yard.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gILP28B9pZs/WUxL2tEJn1I/AAAAAAAAFJc/BhsHGOXBXoI-WqzDKhVJvAiDBGREOzeyACLcBGAs/s1600/18446495_10211271741862780_357527244885757434_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gILP28B9pZs/WUxL2tEJn1I/AAAAAAAAFJc/BhsHGOXBXoI-WqzDKhVJvAiDBGREOzeyACLcBGAs/s320/18446495_10211271741862780_357527244885757434_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Colorful roadside antique store in Key Largo</b>. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Crossing over the Whale Harbor Channel into Upper Matecumbe Key, which was still part of Islamorada, I lost count of the bridges we had crossed but I am going to say it was only the 4th or 5th bridge we spanned. We really hadn't crossed any super long bridges either. I assumed there would be more bridges the further south we drove. I mean, there are 42 bridges connecting the Keys so of course there were going to be more silly. <br /><br />It was also rather strange for me to see nothing but open sky and flat roads while driving. I live in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The Pocono Mountains are part the Appalachian Mountain Range. I grew up in the mountains. My hometown even holds the honor of being the highest city in the state. Some of the villages and townships surrounding my city have an even higher elevation than my city. No, we are not nearly as elevated as the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachians are a more ancient and worn down mountain range but, they are still pretty high. Peaks and valleys and even some tunnels can be seen all over the northeast part of the country.<br /><br />I do see some very pretty vistas on a daily basis in my drives I must admit. I guess perhaps I take the scenery for granted because I've lived here my whole life. When people from other areas of the country visit my neck of the woods, they are completely fascinated with the beautiful forests, endless mountains and gorgeous greenery of the Pocono Mountains. Pennsylvania really is a very beautiful state. I forget that sometimes simply because I live in a part of the state that has had a lot of urban and economic issues over the past 10-20 years.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOhzDvOOkU/WUxMEw_Nv3I/AAAAAAAAFJg/xyylB1c4dIYXa0M1Kw7PZJ-xS7eLigC-gCLcBGAs/s1600/19366128_10211632924132111_2596846701057529624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="960" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOhzDvOOkU/WUxMEw_Nv3I/AAAAAAAAFJg/xyylB1c4dIYXa0M1Kw7PZJ-xS7eLigC-gCLcBGAs/s400/19366128_10211632924132111_2596846701057529624_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Driving in Pennsylvania</b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8_bXXs2514/WUxMK4dlbTI/AAAAAAAAFJk/SMj35wGEaYgMxIfiWBh52ac02HDcaW4SgCLcBGAs/s1600/532929_4321466768319_1827733526_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8_bXXs2514/WUxMK4dlbTI/AAAAAAAAFJk/SMj35wGEaYgMxIfiWBh52ac02HDcaW4SgCLcBGAs/s400/532929_4321466768319_1827733526_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Endless Mountains of PA.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The nearly extinct coal and textile industries the area once thrived upon have become painful eyesores of abandoned factories, crumbling breakers and mounds of shale and soot. What once was, isn't anymore. I am a coal miner's daughter. I knew firsthand how devastating the dying coal industry had become to families all across Northeast Pennsylvania. When business was good, the money was great. When business was slow, the constant layoffs my father had to endure eventually left him seeking a new career. <br /><br />Back to Florida though. As I progressed down the Overseas Highway, we began crossing more bridges. We crossed the Tea Table Channel, The Indian Key Channel, and The Lingumviae Channel into Lower Matecumbe Key, which was the last key belonging to Islamorada. You could see more sandy soil mixed in with the grassy spots along the highway the further south we traveled. It reminded me of golf courses with their sand traps spilling over into the perfect lawns of the green.<br /><br />Many cars were pulled off to the sides of the highway near the edges of the channels. People were fishing from little bridges, dipping their toes in the sea and snapping pictures of the stunning blue waters. Osprey nests with their straggly sticks and branches could be seen perched atop many of the light posts jutting out of the channel waters. Hundreds upon hundreds of weathered lobster traps lined the highway near Robbie's Marina, waiting for their turn to lure in some tasty crustaceans. <br /><br />From the Channel #2 bridge, past Craig's Key and I could see the Channel #5 bridge curving west into the Gulf, high above the straits. It appeared to span forever into the water. I could see no land in front of it. I looked to the Gulf side. The differentials in the depth of water painted a maritime canvas in shades of sapphire blues, emerald greens, brilliant aquamarines and the palest of turquoises. The scene was like a Van Gogh painting come to life, swirling all around me. I was falling head over heels with the Florida Keys and this romance had only just begun. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lzhvNSUF7o/WUxMtGVIs2I/AAAAAAAAFJs/cweKcuYXXog7YhTJrGpAUkiza-UNr1cWACLcBGAs/s1600/ch5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="291" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lzhvNSUF7o/WUxMtGVIs2I/AAAAAAAAFJs/cweKcuYXXog7YhTJrGpAUkiza-UNr1cWACLcBGAs/s1600/ch5.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Aerial View of the Channel #5 Bridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table>The Channel #5 Bridge took us past the RV resort of Fiesta Key then dropped us off in Long Key. Long Key was, really long. There was not much activity on this key business-wise. Long Key is the fisherman's key as it is know for it's fantastic fishing spots and charters. My view was mostly greens and trees.<br /><br />The trees reminded me of maples and oaks although there were definitely more than a few which I could not identify. And there had to be at least 15 different varieties of palms living in the Keys. The towering Royal palms were naturally the most recognizable Floridian palm. They are native to Southern Florida. It's their signature tree but, there were also many others varieties of palms I spotted.<br /><br />Some of the palms had uniquely patterned bark while others had unique leaf formations. Some palms had thick solid trunks while others branched into many skinny trunks connected by one main root. One of the coolest things I viewed in Long Key were the skips in greenery where the trees opened to views of the Gulf. The aquamarine water was almost completely level with the road. Only a few feet of boney white sand stood between my rental car and the Gulf of Mexico. Bet this part of the highway floods occasionally, I thought to myself. I was thankful today was not one of those days.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zmnQ7UnRBWk/WUxOOLyognI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/LuWaQCey1zoyisGItx7FU8VSgGWu16FRgCLcBGAs/s1600/19399570_10211632922972082_5840148471940400616_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zmnQ7UnRBWk/WUxOOLyognI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/LuWaQCey1zoyisGItx7FU8VSgGWu16FRgCLcBGAs/s320/19399570_10211632922972082_5840148471940400616_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I just loved all the palms. So many types.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>84 miles to Key West.</b><br /><br />Up next on our journey was the Long Key Bridge over the Long Key Channel which was also really long. They definitely got the descriptive right when naming these parts. We were really starting to roll along more bridges. Some of them were rather lengthy too. Of course there was always a slight twinge of anxiety as I crossed over these longer bridges but the scenery and the scent of the salt water air kept me calm. To my right, in the distance, you could see Channel Key looming in the gulf. Channel Key is not inhabited by humans but is home to many varieties of mangrove trees and sea birds. It looked so lonely in the water. The Loner Key. <br /><br />The water of the Gulf was definitely a little wild in Long Key channel on this day. The choppy waves were rocking and rolling for sure. We drifted through Conch Key and Duck Key, which were both smaller keys. Through Duck Key, I noticed the Gulf side of the road had way less greenery and scrub than some of the other keys. You really had an amazing view of the sparkling water while driving through most of Duck Key. I really enjoyed that.<br /><br />Yet another bridge over Tom's Harbor #4 brought us into Grassy Key, which is one of the keys that make up the city of Marathon. Marathon is smack in the middle of the Florida Keys. We had reached the midway point of our journey. As we cruised through Crawl Key, Long Point Key, Fat Deer Key and Vaca Key, all keys incorporated into the city of Marathon, I finally understood what the locals meant by Old Florida. Vintage motels in shades of pink, yellow and seafoam, built in the fifties and sixties, were nestled along the Overseas Highway. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKWhsCoVTcQ/WUxOearygyI/AAAAAAAAFKA/PldabsXZEbABARLLYGjE_BI77b55Y52cACLcBGAs/s1600/19275078_10211632922092060_1234646352029619798_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKWhsCoVTcQ/WUxOearygyI/AAAAAAAAFKA/PldabsXZEbABARLLYGjE_BI77b55Y52cACLcBGAs/s320/19275078_10211632922092060_1234646352029619798_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I just adored all the colorful shops and buildings.</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Old time pubs and restaurants painted with a seventies flair advertised items such as lobster ruebens and authentic key lime pie. The Marathon airport sat right along the Overseas Highway so we were able to see a lot of little airplanes, some of which were also vintage, parked along the road. Unfortunately a lot of the kitsch that defined Old Florida style was drowned out by the modern stores, fast food joints and gas stations of today's world.<br /><br />Some of the more modern buildings did try to mimic the styles of Old Florida as best they could. I found to be really cool but, most of the modern buildings, in my opinion, took away from the vintage, Old Florida style that was once the city of Marathon. Don't get me wrong, it was still a fantastic little island town with lots of marinas, restaurants and shops. It was also definitely the most touristy spot we had seen so far on our adventure.<br /><br />However, I think Marathon has so much potential to turn back time and design the entire area to be a truly vintage Old Florida city. Maybe there should be ordinances where new business must follow a certain style and architecture fashioned after Old Florida. Parts of Cape Cod have an ordinance similar to what I just described. They must use cedar shingles on their homes. The architecture, especially pertaining to the dormers, must follow true Cape Cod cottage design and in some areas homes cannot be more than 1 1/2 stories high.<br /><br />I am not the mayor of Marathon though so I just enjoyed the scenery and kept my opinions to myself. The passing lane started to merge into one single lane each way as we drove through Knight Key, the last key of Marathon. The buildings disappeared and once again the highway was lined with Floridian greens and some really large white rocks. I glimpsed water through the trees again. It was about that time.<br /><br /><b>41 miles to Key West.</b><br /><br />The road elevated slightly. I looked to my right. There were cars parked in a lot near the edge of the bridge. People were walking on what seemed like a really long pier right next to the highway. It wasn't a pier though. I missed the sign as I drove onto the bridge. These people were walking on the old Seven Mile Bridge. A part of it is still open to pedestrians. Oh boy. I knew I was going to drive this bridge, I just wasn't sure when. Guess now was when. I was about to embark on the longest bridge I had ever seen in my life.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TexTaxmlvrk/WUxPc_e7RUI/AAAAAAAAFKI/HUNIIScW6rUQy27EZIy6K6HDFDAvtO4DwCLcBGAs/s1600/dsc_8506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="532" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TexTaxmlvrk/WUxPc_e7RUI/AAAAAAAAFKI/HUNIIScW6rUQy27EZIy6K6HDFDAvtO4DwCLcBGAs/s320/dsc_8506.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oh boy! That's a loooooonnnng bridge.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table>This bridge was even longer than I-10 Twin Span Bridge I rode over near New Orleans 7 years ago. It was also nighttime when we drove over that bridge. We had no idea how long that bridge was until the next day. I felt a little twinge of anxiety again. It was day time. I could see everything. Blessing or curse? The aerial images of this bridge that I had seen on the internet popped into my head. My anxiety level jumped up a notch. All I could see in the distance was the bridge, a whole lot of water and a tiny speck of land to my left. The bridge was going to get taller in about a mile too. I could see it elevating in the distance.<br /><br />To my right, the gap between the new Seven Mile Bridge and the old Seven Mile Bridge widened. It was hard for me to keep my eye on the road and still entertain my growing fascination with the 100 year old bridge running parallel to me. I could not stop looking over at it. About 2 -2 1/2 miles in, an island came into view. This island jutted out from underneath the old Seven Mile Bridge. Super tall palm trees jutted up from the island, swaying in the wind. Wild, overgrown grasses and tropical bushes covered the island. What appeared to be a yellow house, sat smack in the middle of the tropical foliage.<br /><br />Did someone live there? Wow! It must be really cool and a little intimidating to live on that island I thought to myself.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvGc0y1_Ua8/WUxPtE9FxQI/AAAAAAAAFKM/KNuEzBOhc5k8Cfq8B4TWMM10A7Hl3iu3gCLcBGAs/s1600/93d09c9fb084487e9bec5c80f2829c9b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvGc0y1_Ua8/WUxPtE9FxQI/AAAAAAAAFKM/KNuEzBOhc5k8Cfq8B4TWMM10A7Hl3iu3gCLcBGAs/s320/93d09c9fb084487e9bec5c80f2829c9b.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Aerial View of Pigeon Key and Seven Mile Bridge</b></td></tr></tbody></table>At the time I did not realize this little island was Historic Pigeon Key. The home I saw was actually a museum. There were several other structures on the island as well. Back in the early 1900's, Pigeon Key housed over 400 railroad workers when the overseas railroad was being built. That is a lot of people for such a small island. All I knew was that I had to come back to the Keys because I wanted to make the 5 mile round trip jaunt over the old Seven Mile Bridge and walk around Pigeon Key. Both walking the bridge and visiting the island will be added to my Bucket List. <br /><br />As I looked down the new bridge, I noticed it was elevating again. This time much higher. I looked over at the old Seven Mile Bridge. A chunk of it was missing. It left a decent sized gap in the bridge. Guess no one was walking this part of the bridge I thought to myself. It also began to look more antiquated. As I rode higher on the bridge, the old bridge was no longer visible to me. It was still there, I just couldn't see it for a few moments.<br /><br />Once again I was driving in the sky. It was so beautiful and crystal. I loved this feeling. I was so thankful to be on this highway on such a gorgeous day. The weather was on it's best behavior, providing my family and myself with a sunny and serene journey. I believe there are moments in the present, as you are experiencing them, where you realize that the memories you are forming will remain vivid and everlasting long into your golden years. Moments so keen and powerful and amazing that your brain senses they need to be filed into a special part of your mind to be remembered forever. This was definitely one of those moments. <br /><br /><b></b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3V8iaxhds0/WUxQARn37iI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/84-oWPukyykyT3czQSa4yTkZIX1dvWM5QCLcBGAs/s1600/19366564_10211632919491995_8897831611879474540_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="960" height="254" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3V8iaxhds0/WUxQARn37iI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/84-oWPukyykyT3czQSa4yTkZIX1dvWM5QCLcBGAs/s640/19366564_10211632919491995_8897831611879474540_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I could not stop looking at this historic, old bridge.&nbsp; I was fascinated. </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As I descended down the bridge, the old bridge was now visible to me again. I still couldn't see any land except for a wee bit in the distance. There was nothing but gorgeous shades of 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen all around me. There were a few boats cruising the waters beneath me but even they were few and far in between. The further down the bridge we drove, the more visibly you could see the age of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. I could see rocks and metal strewn along it's path.<br /><br />On one part of the bridge, a tree and some bushes were growing from the concrete. That was a surprising yet lovely sight to see. Life always finds a way to thrive and survive, even in the most unexpected places. Two uninhibited little clumps of island appeared, flanking each side of the bridge. The little island to my left was called Money Key and it's partner, a little further south and to my right, was called Little Money Key.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h8vFRbGpAtU/WUxQmKLvJNI/AAAAAAAAFKY/ci5DSB5hZbIsBMEhAmkNQa03G9M-nl2RQCLcBGAs/s1600/cau-bay-dam-me1bbb9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="400" height="248" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h8vFRbGpAtU/WUxQmKLvJNI/AAAAAAAAFKY/ci5DSB5hZbIsBMEhAmkNQa03G9M-nl2RQCLcBGAs/s320/cau-bay-dam-me1bbb9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I drove this puppy!!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>The gap between the old Seven Mile Bridge and the new Seven Mile Bridge was now closing. The old bridge was running practically right next to us again. Patches of wild of sea grass sprouted from the crumbling concrete rail bed of the old bridge while the railings appeared to be twisted and buckling from over 100 years on the sea. It was around mile 40 that the inaccessible part of Old Seven Mile bridge ceased to exist. Another part of the bridge had been removed, leaving another gap.<br /><br />Later I found out that the gaps were added to the bridge on purpose to make the more damaged parts of the bridge inaccessible to any type of vehicle or pedestrian for safety reasons. Good call. As we neared Duck Key, I looked over and saw people once again walking along the Old Seven Mile Bridge. I also spotted a few snorkelers bobbing around in the turquoise water near the pillars of the old bridge. Not gonna lie, that took me completely off guard. Snorkeling is huge down in the Keys because of the precious coral reef growing everywhere around them.<br /><br />Duck Key was not nearly as populated as some of the other keys and was way less touristy. Most of our view consisted of fenced in greenery and sporadic glimpses of the Atlantic. We crossed the Little Duck Missouri Channel Bridge into Missouri Key which was teeny. Blink and you missed it. I was now on the Missouri Ohio Channel Bridge. Of course the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals popped into my head for a moment. I could feel my face twisting into a frown. This should be the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Channel in my opinion. It didn't get any better when I saw the sign stating what Key I was now driving on. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot9LKt6Yw-E/WUxRlIYC6ZI/AAAAAAAAFKg/04dlulQxlVshQoZHWr0pq-zeDsaHdhJqwCLcBGAs/s1600/Ohio_Key_sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1037" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot9LKt6Yw-E/WUxRlIYC6ZI/AAAAAAAAFKg/04dlulQxlVshQoZHWr0pq-zeDsaHdhJqwCLcBGAs/s320/Ohio_Key_sign.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>WTF??????</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Seriously?? Ohio Key?? Come on Florida!!! This should be Pennsylvania Key! Again, I am not the mayor or commissioner of Florida and have zero control over what islands and channels are named. However, I do feel strongly that maybe Roger Goodell should fine the state of Florida for roughing the driver and excessive use of the word Ohio. I mean alright, the Steelers do have some Ohio State Buckeyes on their team and most of them are great but, Ohio State is one of Penn State's most hated Big Ten rivals and well, this beautiful drive on the Overseas Highway just went right to hell for me. Sighs.<br /><br />Just kidding! No it didn't.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-65TlRtbGacc/WUxRwV1dkGI/AAAAAAAAFKk/yvDLL5Zec6U4pCaWwFidc6vYWE2bHAUbgCLcBGAs/s1600/76aa9c24-8fd3-4058-8ee1-b352feefdebb_1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-65TlRtbGacc/WUxRwV1dkGI/AAAAAAAAFKk/yvDLL5Zec6U4pCaWwFidc6vYWE2bHAUbgCLcBGAs/s320/76aa9c24-8fd3-4058-8ee1-b352feefdebb_1000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pittsburgh Key. I own it!! I do. For real. It's my house key. LMAO!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Actually, although also teeny, Ohio Key is very beautiful. It is also known as the Sunshine Key and I can see why. There is an RV resort and marina on Ohio Key. There is less scrub and foliage and more open sky and sunshine on this key. The water looked almost virgin. It was so clear and gorgeous.<br /><br />I must say, the further south we drove, the more beautiful the scenery. We crossed over the Ohio Bahia Honda Channel into Bahia Honda Key. For a good part of the drive through Bahia Honda Key, there was no view of the water, just trees. I was bummed by this.<br /><br />On the Atlantic side of the road, we did catch glimpses of the water. Again, the colors were stunning. We also saw what appeared to be people standing way out in the middle of the water. Were these people touched by Jesus? How could they be walking on water all the way out in the middle of the channel? How cool is that?&nbsp; My daughter pointed out that they were on a sand bar. That is why the water was the lightest shade of turquoise or practically colorless in some spots. I found that to be wicked cool. In fact, throughout the rest of our drive we noticed many people in the middle of the water standing around.<br /><br />Once we neared the end of Bahia Honda Key, the trees cleared and we were once again almost level with the Gulf. We crossed the Bahia Honda Channel Bridge. The barriers on this bridge made me a little nervous. They were not solid concrete barriers. They were short, pillared barriers with open gaps. My anxiety remained with me along the whole span of this bridge but the scenery pushed it to the back of my mind. This bridge gave us the most beautiful, closest view of the water swirling beneath us by far.<br /><br />In fact, I am pretty sure the water waved at me. Get it? It waved. Ahahahaha. I'm so funny!<br /><br />I was in the right hand lane closest to the azure waters. I looked across the channel. Nothing but water as far as the eye could see. In fact, it was all blue as far as the eye could see. There wasn't a cloud in the sky over the gulf. If it wasn't for the waves in the water, it might have been practically impossible to distinguish the blue sky from the blue water. Blue is my favorite color and there was so much of it on my cruise. It was wonderful! It made me happy.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk5YBid82A/WUxS7wIr1EI/AAAAAAAAFKs/9kwNxTTwcYEANkEY6dbsYLvYwAT5hUEvgCLcBGAs/s1600/the-old-bridge-at-bahia-honda-bayside-big-pine-key-united-states%252B1152_12755440845-tpfil02aw-7136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1152" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk5YBid82A/WUxS7wIr1EI/AAAAAAAAFKs/9kwNxTTwcYEANkEY6dbsYLvYwAT5hUEvgCLcBGAs/s400/the-old-bridge-at-bahia-honda-bayside-big-pine-key-united-states%252B1152_12755440845-tpfil02aw-7136.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bahia Honda Bridge. So beautiful this trestle bridge was! I could not stop staring at it.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />My attention was soon diverted from the endless blue as I turned my eyes back to the road. On the Atlantic side, a very tall bridge appeared. This bridge also had a gap in it. I am assuming for the same reason as the Old Seven Mile Bridge. It was put there on purpose to stop any kind of traffic from entering the bridge. Wrong! There were two gaps in the bridge that were opened to allow boats more room to enter the harbor. However, since the bridge has not been used or maintained since 1972, the only the part of the bridge open to pedestrians is the part connected to Bahia Honda State Park.<br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fsdJzJi4Lvc/WUxTF9EBcoI/AAAAAAAAFK0/Njtv0g6dpdoOymyBEOdPc2NsmoFr-1eZQCLcBGAs/s1600/bahia-honda-bridge-7%255B2%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="790" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fsdJzJi4Lvc/WUxTF9EBcoI/AAAAAAAAFK0/Njtv0g6dpdoOymyBEOdPc2NsmoFr-1eZQCLcBGAs/s320/bahia-honda-bridge-7%255B2%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bridge is disintegrating. So sad</b>. </td></tr></tbody></table>In fact, there are warning signs posted for boats to be aware of falling debris because the bridge has become so dilapidated. I must say though, this bridge is beautiful. Unlike the Old Seven Mile Bridge this tall bridge is a steel truss bridge. It was like patterned lace high above the water. It was too far away to see the damage on it until we neared the end of the bridge near Scout Key. Then you could see the rust and crumbled railing of the bridge. This part was definitely in bad shape. Nonetheless, it was a stunning bridge.<br /><br />We passed through Scout Key and over the Spanish Harbor Channel into Big Pine Key. Kids, we may be in Pennsylvania again? Deer crossing signs were posted all over the sides of the road. Now that is something you see all over Pennsylvania. I see them on my way to work. Endangered species signs were also posted along the road. We are in Key Deer country. I did not see any along the highway on my journey but I did see some during my visit.<br /><br />The lower keys can be described as sylvan meets maritime. There was as much forest as there was seashore. I loved the fusion. Two of my favorite things in one place. The woods and the beach. My house is very much woodland cabin meets seaside beach cottage meets hotel room suite. I strive to incorporate the places I've loved and the experiences I've enjoyed into my living space. Surrounding myself with little parts of the places I've been makes them seem not so far away. It contributes to a serene and positive atmosphere that is much needed in my life.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBoDOsJVl4/WUxT3SGT3GI/AAAAAAAAFK8/tRUrB_xgPBcf8mogu7gn8_m572OEpQLdQCLcBGAs/s1600/18274873_10211245311482037_6057701714929144418_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZBoDOsJVl4/WUxT3SGT3GI/AAAAAAAAFK8/tRUrB_xgPBcf8mogu7gn8_m572OEpQLdQCLcBGAs/s400/18274873_10211245311482037_6057701714929144418_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mangroves and palms in a creek by my hotel. So pretty! </b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />There is a reason I named my home my sanctuary. It really is a sanctuary to me. And no matter where I live, that sanctuary will always be with me.&nbsp; As we drove by Little Torch Key, Middle Torch Key and Ramrod Key, you could tell this area was definitely more laid back and less touristy. Cudjoe Key ( I think it is pronounced Cujo like the scary dog from Stephen King's imagination.), Sugarloaf Key, Park Key, and Lower Sugarloaf Key, where we were staying for the next two evenings, were very quiet as well.<br /><br />These Keys were ideal for relaxing after doing the tourist thing or spending the day on the water. There were many more channels along these keys as well which made for lots of viewing of mangrove trees with their sprawling, twisting, spindle like roots. Mangrove swamps were the perfect hiding places for many varieties of aquatic life. Maybe the glorious mangroves acted as sanctuaries for all the various tropical creatures that called the water home. I like to think so. We all need a sanctuary. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOa0xJqwCCQ/WUxUH8cyFYI/AAAAAAAAFLA/9acJAbJ91t4xUHn24WlSJoMfIFKmfnrTwCLcBGAs/s1600/18342285_10211245311522038_7354984760389158442_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOa0xJqwCCQ/WUxUH8cyFYI/AAAAAAAAFLA/9acJAbJ91t4xUHn24WlSJoMfIFKmfnrTwCLcBGAs/s320/18342285_10211245311522038_7354984760389158442_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roadside foliage in the lower keys.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>14 Miles To Key West</b><br /><br />After stopping at our hotel to check in and rest for a few, we proceeded to finish our journey of the Overseas Highway. We drove along the Saddlebunch Keys. The Saddlebunch are a series of mangrove islands that span from Lower Sugarloaf Key to Shark Key. It really reminded me of a mangrove swamp. The trees were not huge but they were plentiful. They hugged the patches of water that separated them. I could only imagine what all those roots looked like under the water.<br /><br />We then began crossing over Shark Channel. Admit it. As soon as you read Shark Channel, the theme from Jaws popped in your head. It's ok. It popped in my head too as soon as I saw the sign. I cracked a few jokes about a great white named Bruce. We all got a chuckle out of them. Well not really. I was the only one who laughed at my jokes. I peered into the water looking for a fin. There was none. This is so much NOT Shark Channel. Lies!<br /><br />Of course, after driving over the Shark Channel what better name could there be for the Key swimming next to it than Shark Key. Shark Key is gated though. I know this because I wanted to explore Shark Key but there was a big iron gate blocking the road. No Shark Key for you Chrissy. It's okay. I tagged myself there anyways because technically I was on Shark Key. It looked pretty from what I could see.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Q6fEDHgLJ8/WUxUkrbvAzI/AAAAAAAAFLE/EfzlL5yUtVY1rbxtQiL1HNIUzSNylhNDACLcBGAs/s1600/18402917_10211276974473592_4352607612532154868_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Q6fEDHgLJ8/WUxUkrbvAzI/AAAAAAAAFLE/EfzlL5yUtVY1rbxtQiL1HNIUzSNylhNDACLcBGAs/s320/18402917_10211276974473592_4352607612532154868_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Technically I was in Shark Key. Although not in this pic.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table>Blink and we were already past Shark Key and onto Big Coppitt Key.&nbsp; If you glanced to your right, Big Coppitt had it's own version of Postcard Row consisting of identical, tall beach houses all lined up in a row. These lovely ladies were painted in pastels of yellows, pinks, blues, greens and purples. They were gorgeous. We cruised over Rockland Channel and through East Rockland and Rockland Key.<br /><br />My daughter and I got a good chuckle out of the random man pulled over on the side of the road taking a picture of an iguana. All along our journey we had witnessed this. It wasn't the same man but it was always a singular male pulled over, taking a pic of a huge green iguana. And as we inched further south, there were tons of iguanas on the side of the road. They were all over, just chilling on the side of the road, sunning themselves. <br /><br />Occasionally we would come across iguana road kill and that always made us sad. We also noticed a white bicycle memorial on the side of the road with flowers in it's basket and a white cross. I am assuming someone who enjoyed riding their bicycle on parts of the Overseas Highway, as so many do, died along that part of the highway. I felt so sad. The Overseas Highway is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the country. I had known that from research.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9RAkd815_Nw/WUxVqAepL-I/AAAAAAAAFLM/YEhUS5Eg6AMg2WasMWW7b_F_9GiPfMvxgCLcBGAs/s1600/ts19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="705" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9RAkd815_Nw/WUxVqAepL-I/AAAAAAAAFLM/YEhUS5Eg6AMg2WasMWW7b_F_9GiPfMvxgCLcBGAs/s320/ts19.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>There were iguanas everywhere!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table>There are usually double digit fatalities every year on the highway mostly due to carelessness, impatience and drunk drivers. A good part of the highway is single lane traffic both North and South. The speed limit ranges between 35 mph in certain areas after dark to 55 mph in double lanes. The brunt of the highway is 45 mph. And while I did not encounter many impatient or high speed drivers south of Islamorada, up near Key Largo, no offense, but they drive like assholes.<br /><br />My kids and I almost got t-boned in south Key Largo because an older gentleman decided to pull out from a side street without looking both ways. Thankfully I hit the brakes while he finally looked to his right and noticed I was there. He slammed on his brakes as well. But, the car behind me was tailgating me and almost rear ended me as well. None of it would have been my fault. All of it put my heart in my throat. And the asshole riding my ass had the nerve to honk his horn. He then sped around the both of us.<br /><br />That incident was my only bad experience driving the highway other than trying to switch lanes in Key Largo. Calm down people. It is not worth your life or the life of anyone else. Be smart and be safe. Once we hit Boca Chica Key you could tell we were getting closer to Key West. Businesses, shopping centers and restaurants began appearing more consistently along the Overseas Highway. There was less scrub and way more palm trees.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nADBH5oEw6U/WUxV9_f-cYI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/lPV0wLPxjOgghzAjKVxu-1kYEJ8ZKsVSgCLcBGAs/s1600/19437247_10211632922332066_4239654921712192346_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nADBH5oEw6U/WUxV9_f-cYI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/lPV0wLPxjOgghzAjKVxu-1kYEJ8ZKsVSgCLcBGAs/s320/19437247_10211632922332066_4239654921712192346_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Another colorful Overseas Highway Shop</b></td></tr></tbody></table>As we drove past Stock Island, traffic had become a little heavier. Finally, I looked ahead to see palm trees and a hotel directly in front of me. We were now entering Key West. If I turned right, the road would take me to the Southern Most Point buoy. If I turned left, I would arrive near Mallory Square. We turned left since our destination was Mallory Square. I will talk more about <a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/08/475-visit-key-largo.html" target="_blank">Key West in a separate blog</a> but let me just say, it is stunning.<br /><br />Tons and tons of palm trees lined every road. Little beach cottages with their shuttered windows mingled with beach mansions and their wrought iron fencing. Tropical flowers in large planters added splash and vibrancy to the already stunning architecture. Fancy beach resorts and colorful hotels, all very huge I might add, traced the outer limits of the city. Everything looked so beautiful. <br /><br />As we delved further along the Overseas Highway into Key West, the history and age of this stunning island began to make an appearance. There was certainly a touch of French and Colonial architecture mixed in with the Bahamian/Caribbean style of most homes. Old brick buildings that were constructed in the 1800's stood proudly, having weathered many a storm on that island. Roosters roamed aimlessly along the sides of the road, chilling in their own little rooster world.<br /><br />As we pulled onto Whitehead Street to find parking, we passed the Mile 0 sign. I did it! I drove the entire length of the Overseas Highway. I was so proud of myself for accomplishing this feat. To look at it on a map, it was pretty incredible to even conceive. Key West was way south of the mainland. Unless you zoomed in on the map, you could barely see the keys were connected by a highway. I am not gonna lie, I was rather intimidated to even take on this challenge but I wanted so badly to experience this.<br /><br /><b>0 Miles To Key West.</b> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vil8QHgMBDI/WUxWU7GElYI/AAAAAAAAFLY/zG0LZX9gFzAYIQV_iqp6zE4uBxz1LjXqwCLcBGAs/s1600/18402823_10211251029024972_5308435171372392276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vil8QHgMBDI/WUxWU7GElYI/AAAAAAAAFLY/zG0LZX9gFzAYIQV_iqp6zE4uBxz1LjXqwCLcBGAs/s400/18402823_10211251029024972_5308435171372392276_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Beginning</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgLdoU9fpEg/WUxWQUw2pGI/AAAAAAAAFLU/CPDNWgoXHcg0fD1oMvXwaYNATtU6Qea2wCLcBGAs/s1600/18403077_10211251131187526_4880767321235837094_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgLdoU9fpEg/WUxWQUw2pGI/AAAAAAAAFLU/CPDNWgoXHcg0fD1oMvXwaYNATtU6Qea2wCLcBGAs/s400/18403077_10211251131187526_4880767321235837094_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>And the end.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table><br />And in wanting so badly to do this, not only did I come to find that the Overseas Highway is not at all intimidating but I also did not mind for one minute the 2 hour and 30 minute drive. There was nothing boring or mundane about my journey. We were treated to stunning views, laid back cruising, and the beauty of some nature not familiar to us. We were blessed with amazing, perfect weather the entire trip. Our little red Toyota Corolla rental from Alamo treated us so very good. She kept us safe. We got to taste the Caribbean without having to step foot off of United States soil.<br /><br />I cannot wait to take this journey again! It was one of the most incredible dreams come true and I would love to relive this dream a few more times!!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Okay .....show me."&nbsp; - Christine</b></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Florida Keys Chronicles- My Adventures</span></u></span></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/65-have-authentic-key-lime-pie-in-key.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#65 Have Authentic Key Lime Pie In Key West</span></a></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/66-visit-southern-most-point-in-usa.html" target="_blank">#66 Visit The Southernmost Point In The USA</a></span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/07/95-visit-ernest-hemingways-home.html" target="_blank">#95 Visit Ernest Hemingway's House&nbsp;</a> </span></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/479-drive-overseas-highway.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">#479 Drive The Overseas Highway</span></span></a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afreespiritsbucketlist.blogspot.com/2017/06/485-visit-no-name-key-and-drink-no-name.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">#485 Visit No Name Key And Drink A No Name Beer In A No Name Pub</span></span></a></h3><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YgF9otLx6VI/WUxYlOyoXOI/AAAAAAAAFLk/_Rd9O5GhtXUdKF9s5qW5-9yK3m8XdEumQCLcBGAs/s1600/15781191_10210119402615019_3845536012952781489_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YgF9otLx6VI/WUxYlOyoXOI/AAAAAAAAFLk/_Rd9O5GhtXUdKF9s5qW5-9yK3m8XdEumQCLcBGAs/s320/15781191_10210119402615019_3845536012952781489_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-2750935478062696882017-06-15T16:54:00.002-07:002017-06-15T20:41:33.177-07:00#24 Fly In A Plane<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QXW-TCLtD_U/WUMMLVoV23I/AAAAAAAAFFw/PEIy3mFAvAoOwkWFB7ZAI7_p5F7ifQWFgCLcBGAs/s1600/a18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunset on a plane" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QXW-TCLtD_U/WUMMLVoV23I/AAAAAAAAFFw/PEIy3mFAvAoOwkWFB7ZAI7_p5F7ifQWFgCLcBGAs/s320/a18.jpg" title="Sunset on a plane" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset above North Carolina</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I want to travel the world. And if that is not possible there is a short list of "must see" destinations I need to visit in my lifetime. Some of those places require the use of an airplane. In fact, the 3 destinations remaining on my "must see" list definitely require an airplane. So, flying to another "must see" place, which could have been accomplished via a very, very, very, very long car ride was a good starting point. I had wanted to do a road trip through the Florida Keys for the longest time. This adventure was added to the "must see" list many years ago.<br /><br />And as much as I would have liked to drive down the east coast, stopping along the way to check items off my bucket list, I had neither the time nor the money to do so. A road trip through the Keys was still a definite possibility. I was just going to have to fly down to the car. It would save me both time and money to do this. So, after much planning and research, I decided that this was the year to make the Florida Keys road trip a reality. The clock is ticking and all. Time is still on my side, I know this. But, it's not on my side as much as it once was. I know this as well.<br /><br />Those "maybe one day" and "maybe next year" excuses were piling up all around me. They were slowly starting to suffocate me. I realized there will never be a time where I will have the extra money to do this and try that. I was going to have to give up certain things, juggle other things, work longer hours and possibly get a second job to achieve some of my life long dreams. That was the cold truth. And I have been facing the cold truth for awhile now. It is what it is and I've come to accept that. <br /><br />But, I will get into the Florida Keys road trip in another blog. This blog, this bucket list item, is all about flying.<br /><br />Can you believe at 43 years old I had yet to fly? Me? Miss Adventure? Crazy!<br /><br />I guess part of it was fear, but I have done many things in my life with a sense of fear. Sometimes that fear is caused by my anxiety disorder, which can be crippling at times. Sometimes that fear is rooted in something genuinely legit. Either way, facing my fears is something I may not always like to do but have done many times in my life. Sometimes I had no choice but to face them. Sometimes I faced them because facing them meant gaining something wonderful in return. So yes, fear played a small part in my not flying up until now but again, it was a fear I was willing to face because I would get something wonderful in return. <br /><br />The biggest reason I had yet to take to the air is the most obvious reason. Flying is not cheap. For years I had searched flights going to this destination and that destination. My jaw dropped every time the prices would appear. It would be cheaper for me to spend the gas to drive to some of the places I wanted to visit. And I did drive to some places. I also took a bus trip once which was really nice but definitely not the most comfortable mode of transport for longer trips. Then gas prices got ridiculously high. When that happened, there were no longer any cheap alternatives to travel. I even searched trains. Trains were not cheap either.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3d9rgAlCbh8/WUMZE9ccQ-I/AAAAAAAAFG0/dQZwdZ1BlA4Vavtmxk_adguylGi4_hYMACLcBGAs/s1600/a15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3d9rgAlCbh8/WUMZE9ccQ-I/AAAAAAAAFG0/dQZwdZ1BlA4Vavtmxk_adguylGi4_hYMACLcBGAs/s400/a15.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful skies I got to witness.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ortpb7k9nKs/WUMZWcsr7MI/AAAAAAAAFG4/qFm_IL04j5s-Wu9JNknA16Rmk1G1molzwCLcBGAs/s1600/a14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="720" height="370" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ortpb7k9nKs/WUMZWcsr7MI/AAAAAAAAFG4/qFm_IL04j5s-Wu9JNknA16Rmk1G1molzwCLcBGAs/s400/a14.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The icy colors of the sky on my first plane ride.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I was somewhat discouraged but not so much as to give up some of my travel dreams. I was just going to have to make a list of "must see" places and sock away some money to visit these places.<br /><br /><u><b>Must See Places For Chrissy</b></u><br /><b>1. New York ( Bus trips are my preferred form of travel into the city.) ✅</b><br /><b>2. New Orleans ( I actually drove with a friend there. It was a long trip but a fun trip.) ✅</b><br /><b>3. Cape Cod ( I took a bus trip my first visit to the Cape. It was great but uncomfortable.) ✅</b><br /><b>4. Key West ( My first time flying) ✅</b><br /><b>5. Italy</b><br /><b>6. Ireland</b><br /><b>7. Hawaii&nbsp;</b><br /><br />There is also another list of places that did not make the "must see" list for now but are places I feel very strongly about visiting. <br /><br /><u><b>Almost Must See Places For Chrissy</b></u><br /><b>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; Australia</b><br /><b>2.&nbsp;&nbsp; Greece</b><br /><b>3.&nbsp;&nbsp; New Zealand</b><br /><b>4.&nbsp;&nbsp; Bali</b><br /><b>5.&nbsp;&nbsp; Cuba</b><br /><b>6.&nbsp;&nbsp; Iceland</b><br /><b>7.&nbsp;&nbsp; Montreal</b><br /><b>8.&nbsp;&nbsp; Amsterdam</b><br /><b>9.&nbsp;&nbsp; England</b><br /><b>10. France</b><br /><b>11. Alaska</b><br /><b>12. Savannah </b><br /><br />After my list was compiled, I began making some of them a reality. And while I was traveling over the road for some of my trips, something beautiful in the world of airlines was beginning to take shape. Economy flights were becoming more and more accessible. Airlines like Spirit, Jet Blue and Allegiant were flying out of not only the bigger airports, but some smaller airports as well. Depending on where you were flying, you could get a really good deal. Florida spots are always popular so of course there were cheaper flights to Floridian destinations<b>.</b><br /><br />Also, a few fellow travelers and Facebook friends had explained that sometimes it was cheaper to fly into one airport, then, book another ticket out of that airport to your destination. Rather than book a straight ticket from Point A to Point B, if you add a Point C, you could save a lot of dough. For instance, take Hawaii or Australia. If you fly into San Francisco<b> </b>or LA, then book a separate flight to Australia or Hawaii from the San Francisco airport, you can save big money sometimes.<br /><br />I tested that theory on a flight to New Orleans, which I would like to re-visit one day. If I flew from Philly to New Orleans, flights varied between $300 and $400 depending on the time of year. If I flew into Ft. Lauderdale, then booked a flight out of Ft. Lauderdale into New Orleans and back again, I could save between $100 to $200 in airfare. Whoa! I mean yes, you may find yourself spending more time than wanted in an airport. And if for some reason you have to book a hotel and stay overnight rather than fly out same day, you are kind of defeating the purpose of saving money but, it is definitely something I may consider doing in the future.<br /><br />The method I mentioned above is perfect if you want to visit two cities on your vacation. Fly into one city. Spend some time there. Fly into another city. Spend some time there. Then, fly back. I have learned so much just by asking questions. Never be afraid to ask questions when it comes to travel. Seriously. Even if the questions seem silly or naive, ask them anyway. There are a lot of people out there that are well traveled and will not find your questions silly or naive at all. Most travelers are more than happy to share their travel tips and recommendations with you.<br /><br />Trust me, my fellow travelers have helped me so much over the years. In fact, for this particular trip to the Florida Keys I had about a 1000 questions I needed answered. Every single person I presented one of my questions to was more than willing to give me some advice and tips. Tips and advice that came in very handy during my trip. I am so grateful for all the people that assisted in answering my questions while putting my anxious mind at ease. You all have no idea.<br /><br />I began researching flights. Flying into Key West directly was ridiculous. I mean over $400 per person round trip ridiculous. For my family and I to fly into Key West, we were looking at over $1200 in airfare alone. And, I was still going to have to rent a car because I wanted to see all of the Keys and drive the Overseas Highway. I wanted to do it by car, not bus. My budget for this entire trip was between $1500 and $2000 at the most. And in all honesty, I wanted it closer to $1500.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96caVSmgCfc/WUMO-yi4TuI/AAAAAAAAFF0/WVGJDhjaQU0picobIXhwTipHnMO3TwYwgCLcBGAs/s1600/a3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="709" height="255" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96caVSmgCfc/WUMO-yi4TuI/AAAAAAAAFF0/WVGJDhjaQU0picobIXhwTipHnMO3TwYwgCLcBGAs/s320/a3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and Yellow</td></tr></tbody></table>So, I started looking at flying into Ft. Lauderdale. Spirit was the cheapest. I could fly to Ft. Lauderdale from Philly and back for around $120 per person. Of course, the fear started to creep in. This was too cheap. Was Spirit a safe airline to fly? Was I willing to risk safety for price? The short answer, no. I began reading reviews of Spirit Airlines. There were no reports of there being any safety issues but there were a ton of negative reviews about the airline in general.<br /><br />Canceled flights, poor customer service, hidden fees, and dirty planes were mentioned in every other review. Now, I know not to take a few bad reviews and allow it to change my decision. Reviews are all about perception and personality for the most part. Some people are never happy. Some people have a negative outlook on everything. Some people nit pick. Some places are generally good places but could have had a bad moment here or there. No business is 100% perfect. <br /><br />Spirit had way too many bad reviews for my comfort level but I did not rule them out completely. Safety was not an issue with the airline and $120 per person would be so nice on my pocketbook. So, I went through the booking process with Spirit. This event would ultimately rule them out completely. You seriously have to pay for everything with Spirit. You have to pay to choose your seat each way. That was almost $30 more dollars per ticket. You have to pay for all baggage, each way. The baggage charges were not cheap. For a carry on and checked bag you were looking at another $75 per ticket, each way. My $120 dollar per person flight was now well over $200 per person.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, it was still a way better price than what some of the major airlines were offering, but combining the pricing with the fact that they were notorious for delayed and canceled flights just put a bad taste in my mouth. I did not complete my booking for Spirit. I wanted to look elsewhere. In fact, while I was down in the Keys, there was a near riot at the Ft. Lauderdale airport because Spirit flights were being canceled left and right due to a pilot walk out. You have no idea how relieved I was that I did not choose Spirit as my airline.<br /><br />A few travelers had mentioned Allegient was offering flights out of the Allentown, PA airport and were very affordable as well. Now that made me happy to hear. If I did not have to drive to Philadelphia, I would be perfectly okay with that. So, I looked up Allegient. They were even cheaper than Spirit. It would be $103 per person round trip.&nbsp; I began the booking process. Allegiant was very similar to Spirit in that you had to pay for everything. My $103 per person flight was now hovering around the $200 dollar per person range. Allegient however, had fantastic reviews for the most part.<br /><br />What put me off about going Allegient in the end was the fact that if they canceled a flight you were stuck waiting days for another flight. At the time of my research, Allegiant only flew into Allentown Wednesdays and Saturdays. Every other week there was a Thursday flight. So, if my Saturday flight happened to be canceled, chances were that I would not be able to get another flight out of Allentown until Wednesday. That was not going to fly with me for a number of reasons. First, I would lose money on deposits I made on hotels and the car rental.<br /><br />Secondly, I did not want to risk taking a vacation week from work to end up not going on vacation last minute. I looked at the reviews again and unfortunately they also canceled flights here and there. I just did not want to risk not going on vacation for the time period I selected. Would I consider flying Allegient in the future? Absolutely. I just wasn't going to fly them for my first ever plane ride. This trip was too important to me to risk.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-STQWUHmq5Sg/WUMP6U-0aGI/AAAAAAAAFF4/LBLCRhugZiQMa3CyxWOiBEPCllxkopv6ACLcBGAs/s1600/a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-STQWUHmq5Sg/WUMP6U-0aGI/AAAAAAAAFF4/LBLCRhugZiQMa3CyxWOiBEPCllxkopv6ACLcBGAs/s400/a7.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My plane arriving at our gate. </td></tr></tbody></table>So, I decided to look at Jet Blue. Jet Blue had higher fares than both Spirit and Allegient but were still more budget friendly than the major airlines. At this point I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to end up spending around $250- $300 per ticket. I went onto Jet Blue's website and began the booking process. For each of us, round trip, I was looking at $146 per person bare bones. When selecting the tickets they had 3 options for the flight with different pricing. This confused me so I read more about the pricing on their website.<br /><br />For $73 each way, I got one free personal item and one free carry on per ticket. For $93 each way, I got a free personal item, free carry on and one checked bag that could weigh up to 50lbs. We definitely needed checked bags. Before I went any further, I checked reviews on Jet Blue. There were so many positive reviews from people that had flown Jet Blue. I actually had to search to find a few negative reviews. None of the negative reviews pertained to safety though. They pertained to delayed and canceled flights. I was beginning to see that regardless of the airline, delayed and canceled flights were going to happen.<br /><br />The nice thing about Jet Blue was that if a flight was canceled they had a decent sized fleet. You would not be stranded for days. I would have to fly out of Philadelphia again but at this point, between the reviews and the free baggage allowed, I was pretty much sold on Jet Blue. I began the booking process. When it came time to select my seats, I held my breath. How much were they going to charge me for all of us to sit together I wondered nervously.<br /><br />I clicked the seats I wanted. No prices popped up. I went to the next step. No charges were added to my total. I began wondering what I did wrong because there had to be charges for picking my seats. I canceled out of the page and began the booking process all over again, convinced I missed something. When it came to choosing my seats, I chose them again. No prices popped up. I continued to the next page. My total did not change. Short story long, Jet Blue does not charge you to pick your seats. You can pay additional for an extra leg room seat but they are known for having the most leg room in coach so I was good with our regular seats.<br /><br />So it was set. Well, almost. It took me another two weeks to commit to finishing the booking process. Not because of pricing or anything but mostly because once I committed to flying, there was no going back. I was being a scaredy cat. I was being silly. It was already March. I wanted to take this trip the second week of May. I needed to get over myself fast or this trip wasn't going to happen. I finally grew a set one Saturday morning and went through the booking process again. <br /><br />Nel nome del padre, del figlio e dello spirito santo.......SUBMIT!!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUnEQAoC8P0/WUMQ2zIBcpI/AAAAAAAAFF8/uvptHBJRk_kCzX1MyciC9DQVYoUnciCwgCLcBGAs/s1600/a8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUnEQAoC8P0/WUMQ2zIBcpI/AAAAAAAAFF8/uvptHBJRk_kCzX1MyciC9DQVYoUnciCwgCLcBGAs/s320/a8.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed and ready to go!</td></tr></tbody></table>Two months later my kiddos and I were driving to Philadelphia International Airport. As I drove into the airport, a plane took off right above us. It was so cool. I was going to get to ride on an airplane finally. How exciting! I was nervous as hell but way more excited to finally get an opportunity to take to the air. Plus, the lovely Rebecca B provided me with some amazing travel quotes she loved and mini bottles of booze to help ease my anxiety. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts I had ever received. Becky is well traveled and her tips are always so useful for me.<br /><br />As for the Philly airport, it was so easy to navigate. I was worried it would be a clusterf@ck but it was not at all like that. However, finding the economy parking lot was a challenge for sure. Mostly it was because I did not believe WAZE when she was sending me towards the lot. Sometimes you drive around in a circle fifteen times, almost park in the garage that costs $24 a day, then man up and ask for help. WAZE was right. Dammit!<br /><br />Once we finally parked the Jeep, we grabbed our luggage and started walking to the airport. The Jet Blue terminal was at the end of the airport, Terminal #5. It was not too far from economy parking. Of course there was no gate to exit the economy parking lot so we then had to walk all the way back to the shuttle shelter and wait for the bus. My bad. Once we were in the actual airport, we dropped off our checked bags and made our way through security. The lines were not bad so we did not have to wait long.<br /><br />My fellow bare footed passengers and I shuffled through security. There really is no dignified way to go through airport security but it's not so bad because we all had to do it. I was nervous my mini bottles of booze, my smokes and my lighter would set off crazy alarms as I emptied my carry on. They did not. And there are no crazy alarms anyways. If there was an issue, security did not make a scene. They just informed people of the issue and did their best to help rectify any situation. My kids and I took our items out of the bus pans and put them back in their respective bags. Then we put our shoes back on.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lbpBvpXcZp4/WUMR8B0jNWI/AAAAAAAAFGA/KLhxtLXy-s0UXqTCVBMOg8bUsRfffdnagCLcBGAs/s1600/a4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="720" height="323" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lbpBvpXcZp4/WUMR8B0jNWI/AAAAAAAAFGA/KLhxtLXy-s0UXqTCVBMOg8bUsRfffdnagCLcBGAs/s400/a4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We were free to roam the airport. Look out! Chrissy is in an airport. We headed towards our flight gate. I was like a little kid walking through the halls and hangars. There were all these airplanes driving around. They were so big and pretty.<br /><br />Frontier had a sea turtle on their tail. How cute! American Airlines had the American flag. Canada Air had a maple leaf. Jet Blue had colorful blue patterns on their tails. Spirit had the entire plane painted yellow and black. United had a portrait of Mike Tyson painted on the tail and a UFC logo on the wings. Whoa! Just kidding!! Or am I? <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2XytImXlq60/WUMSI21Q6gI/AAAAAAAAFGE/yimXD_q1Tt4V6acU3Lx_Xr_PnzmwKnNwgCLcBGAs/s1600/a1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2XytImXlq60/WUMSI21Q6gI/AAAAAAAAFGE/yimXD_q1Tt4V6acU3Lx_Xr_PnzmwKnNwgCLcBGAs/s320/a1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XC459_gsQWs/WUMSOV0D_TI/AAAAAAAAFGI/dV7r3V2Ze242zZ6ey7_-eZA6gj77SBE0wCLcBGAs/s1600/a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="701" height="290" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XC459_gsQWs/WUMSOV0D_TI/AAAAAAAAFGI/dV7r3V2Ze242zZ6ey7_-eZA6gj77SBE0wCLcBGAs/s320/a2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMIOogDGlx4/WUMSTyQbVsI/AAAAAAAAFGM/EI_gkCFl4hAqhh2eSwJjEp0RF3JX5sVNQCLcBGAs/s1600/a5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMIOogDGlx4/WUMSTyQbVsI/AAAAAAAAFGM/EI_gkCFl4hAqhh2eSwJjEp0RF3JX5sVNQCLcBGAs/s400/a5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br />Actually, Philadelphia Airport was a really nice, clean airport. There were numerous stations to charge your phone and laptop. There were plenty of window seats to watch the airplanes. There were stores and food stands all over the place. And if you want to drain your bank account on a meal, then airports are the place for you. Had I know I was going to need to take out a personal loan to eat lunch, I would have packed samwiches for the car ride down to the airport. $50 bucks for chicken fingers, fries, 2 pieces of pizza, a Chinese rice bowl, and 3 drinks. <br /><br />Needless to say, we ate before we went back to the airport in Ft. Lauderdale. Insane.<br /><br />As we waited for our plane, I sat by the window watching all the other planes. It actually calmed me. I snickered every time a United plane coasted by, not gonna lie. If someone wanted to drag me off my flight and make me bleed a little for a few million I was down for it. Just no broken noses. Alicia and Billy both fractured my nose when we were little. One with a wiffle bat bat and one with a Coke bottle. Both were on purpose. The battle scars of elementary school were pretty epic. We can laugh now but back then, Bill Sr. had to step in twice on my behalf.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5cj7HaCvXpY/WUMSczw1eAI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/Ikdp15nkm1k6PCzSKjqjIjGJbOvRoORvgCEwYBhgL/s1600/a6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5cj7HaCvXpY/WUMSczw1eAI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/Ikdp15nkm1k6PCzSKjqjIjGJbOvRoORvgCEwYBhgL/s400/a6.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><br />Anyway, around 5:30pm it was time to board the plane. We walked down the corridor to the plane and took our first steps onto Jet Blue. My daughter had flown a few times before. My son and I had not. My daughter was a life saver. Bless her heart. She made everything so much smoother. Without her, I probably would have boarded a flight to Thailand while my luggage traveled to Texas. "One Night in Bangkok" is a great song and all but I am pretty sure I am not ready to live the Murray Head dream just yet. Besides, I don't even know how to play chess.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1-iA7mXGXg/WUMV0m0swcI/AAAAAAAAFGU/WVH6kRLiOX4XJHQ0wRuCGz6HIo_bigyrQCLcBGAs/s1600/a11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1-iA7mXGXg/WUMV0m0swcI/AAAAAAAAFGU/WVH6kRLiOX4XJHQ0wRuCGz6HIo_bigyrQCLcBGAs/s320/a11.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG!! We are going to ride on an airplane!</td></tr></tbody></table>Back to the plane, it was smaller than what I usually see in the movies. There was no middle row of seats but the seats were way more comfortable than what I had also seen in the movies. We got situated, reviewed the safety procedures, and fastened our seat belts. The captain came on the loudspeaker to explain our flight. He informed us we would be flying at a little higher an altitude than usual.<br /><br />I am not sure if it was due to congestion in the skies or if weather was a factor but as long as we were safe, I was good. I was also feeling pretty fab thanks to two mini bottles of booze and a god awful nicotine lozenge I had earlier. Let's take this puppy to the air! I'm ready to go Captain!<br /><br />Slowly, we pulled out of the gate and drove down the hangar. I stared out the window checking out all the planes around us. There were so many of them. And the dudes from the movie Top Gun with their mini light sabers in each hand directing the planes were pretty awesome too. I believe the more politically correct term for these dudes is air traffic controllers but I wasn't thinking straight at that moment in time.<br /><br />I noticed there were a few planes in front of us on the tarmac as well as a few behind us. As we turned left onto the runway, I looked out the window and saw the planes behind us. I felt like a little, wide eyed kid craning my neck to watch the convoy of planes slowly parading down the lane. It was really cool to witness. Our pilot came over the speaker again to announce we were going to be third in line for take off.<br /><br />I had been warned that take off and landing can be rough so I was prepared for that. I even used nasal spray before going on the plane in case my ears started to hurt from the pressure. It works well for my daughter. What I wasn't prepared for was how much I loved taking off in the airplane. I was still staring out the window craning my head to see the planes behind me when all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a blow torch being ignited. My plane went from a slow creep to full throttle in like one second.<br /><br />Here we go kids!!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hWq11QfGb48/WUMWsqdthAI/AAAAAAAAFGY/3zYEY6ZxnlApAgtDuZ7ZfUSQGTH4yziBgCLcBGAs/s1600/a17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hWq11QfGb48/WUMWsqdthAI/AAAAAAAAFGY/3zYEY6ZxnlApAgtDuZ7ZfUSQGTH4yziBgCLcBGAs/s320/a17.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seated in seat 18A, ready to fly!</td></tr></tbody></table>I felt my body weight force me into the back of my seat as the plane began it's taxi down the runway. I could hear the shrill of the motors working hard to get us to max speed. My head and neck were pressed to back of my seat but my eyes did not leave the window. I was seated right next to the left wing of the plane. I watched it wobbling in the wind. Is it supposed to do that? I guess so. I lifted my head from my seat. It seemed like we were still on the ground. We weren't though.<br /><br />We were starting to ascend into the skies. I felt like I was on a really sweet roller coaster. The pilot tipped the plane to the left. My head was pressed against the window. I was gawking at the ground beneath me. I felt a slight pain in my chest. I was expecting that. I sat back and began to take deep breaths until the pain was gone. It didn't take long. I started fishing for my camera. We were in the clouds now and I wanted to get some cool shots of the cloud patterns and colorful skies.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YWMf1DQ7ozA/WUMW5gonhXI/AAAAAAAAFGc/o29taeDDxpEgrF0xwRZgU2nZEgd6HcuJACLcBGAs/s1600/a13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YWMf1DQ7ozA/WUMW5gonhXI/AAAAAAAAFGc/o29taeDDxpEgrF0xwRZgU2nZEgd6HcuJACLcBGAs/s320/a13.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tipping the wing after take off.</td></tr></tbody></table>After about 30 minutes of alternating between taking pictures and pressing my head against the window to look at all the fluffy clouds, I began to feel a little sleepy. I still had a long night ahead of me so I tried to get some rest. I didn't nod off completely but I was able to close my eyes and breath easy. Once in awhile I would hear the seat belt alarm go off as the plane would begin to shudder.<br /><br />This must be what the people of the skies call turbulence I told myself. It wasn't so bad. The pilot would adjust altitudes when we hit particularly rough spots. I looked out the window again, trying to figure out what state we were above. I could see a shoreline underneath a thin veil of clouds. Virginia perhaps? We were about an hour into the flight so it was either Virginia or North Carolina.<br /><br />I drank my soda and ate some of my snack of colorful potato chips. I wasn't too hungry. I was no longer too nervous about being in an airplane 38,000 feet above the earth. The humming of the motors and the slight rocking of the plane was actually relaxing me, a lot. I was not expecting that either. It was very soothing. Something I was so nervous about was relaxing me without effort. It was a total Twillight Zone moment.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ7UoLZ5X3s/WUMXNP8mdfI/AAAAAAAAFGg/If8DEGSDlJInPFMPLIvqbGwPmyd0YtiwACLcBGAs/s1600/a16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ7UoLZ5X3s/WUMXNP8mdfI/AAAAAAAAFGg/If8DEGSDlJInPFMPLIvqbGwPmyd0YtiwACLcBGAs/s320/a16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My in flight goodies. Free and for me!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Of course my nerves started to tweak a little about getting the rental car and driving to Florida City. For us people with anxiety disorders, there is always something to be anxious about. If there isn't, our brain will give us a reason from a huge catalog of random and sometimes far-fetched scenarios. We don't always get to choose either. I decided to start peering out the window again to check on the wing and make sure it didn't fall off the plane.<br /><br />Instead my eyes were treated to the most beautiful shades of pinks and yellows and grays. For the first time in my life, I witnessed the sun set above the clouds rather than below them. And it was one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever experienced. I gasped at the stunning sky. I fished out my camera again and began snapping pictures of the sunset above the clouds. I needed to preserve this Monet moment of spectacular pastels painted by the setting sun.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8vEEVWp53e8/WUMZxV6PTkI/AAAAAAAAFG8/L--KXWY6SE81jXge6vQ-YSZe4b1m4hbdACLcBGAs/s1600/a20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8vEEVWp53e8/WUMZxV6PTkI/AAAAAAAAFG8/L--KXWY6SE81jXge6vQ-YSZe4b1m4hbdACLcBGAs/s320/a20.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So beautiful! Sunset over NC.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ni1oIU0IlM/WUMZ2Nc3MQI/AAAAAAAAFHA/wQ8QFsCbwXcc6e-goYsml8KvwcJGWTKngCLcBGAs/s1600/a19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ni1oIU0IlM/WUMZ2Nc3MQI/AAAAAAAAFHA/wQ8QFsCbwXcc6e-goYsml8KvwcJGWTKngCLcBGAs/s320/a19.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a perfect flight!</td></tr></tbody></table>We were above Surf City, North Carolina when the sun began it's descent. Not too long now. My daughter directed me to the TV screen in front of me. There was a map showing how high were were flying, what speed the plane was traveling at, and where above the Atlantic we were located. It was pretty sweet. As the sky turned to night, I kept my eye on the map. We were beginning our descent into Ft. Lauderdale airport.<br /><br />Now, I must say, I was not nearly as fond of descending as I was of ascending. It didn't bother me too much but it did make me a little queasy. I directed my energy elsewhere. I became glued to the window once again. I could see all the lights shining brightly from the city as well as the curtails of speedboats in the dark water beneath me. Ft. Lauderdale was definitely a busier airport than Philly. We had to circle around the airport a few times before we could land.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9I6ErtoYbc/WUMaZLULFdI/AAAAAAAAFHI/kId17P6VGLUw9kGWkNEjs3JCWxfHTsJNACLcBGAs/s1600/a23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9I6ErtoYbc/WUMaZLULFdI/AAAAAAAAFHI/kId17P6VGLUw9kGWkNEjs3JCWxfHTsJNACLcBGAs/s320/a23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the map. Almost there. 478 mph. 39,218 feet high.</td></tr></tbody></table>Once we landed, we were stuck in traffic on the tarmac for over 30 minutes. My nicotine withdrawal was beginning to become unbearable. I was pretty good up until that moment. I wanted out of that plane pronto. Of course it took all the people in front of us forever to get their bags and get off the plane. Why people must stop in the middle of the aisle to look for things in their bags or chat with the person they were sitting next to for three hours prior to landing is beyond me? Stop being rude and do that stuff when you are off the plane.<br /><br />The Jet Blue captain emerged from the cockpit to say good bye to every single passenger. I thought that was really nice. He did a great job. As we walked down the corridor and stepped out into the airport I became immediately startled. The airport was jam packed with people. We are talking wall to wall. There were hundreds of people around the Jet Blue gates alone. It was way, way more crowded than Philly was. Nervously, my kids and I maneuvered through the loud crowd and headed towards the luggage carousels.<br /><br />I became panicked when our luggage was not appearing on the carousel they told us it would be on. We stood there for four rotations. Nothing. My daughter said she was going to check the other luggage carousels. I had to step outside for a smoke. I was beyond tweaked by this point. Hurriedly, I stepped out the door of the airport and got slapped in the face with all this warmth and humidity. Again, I was startled. I looked at the palm trees across from me.<br /><br />It took a little bit longer than I would care to admit for my brain to register that I was in a state where the weather was about 30 degrees warmer than the state I had left three hours prior. "Silly! You are in Florida!", I reminded myself. And, I was about to pass out on the airport sidewalk from an extreme head rush of nicotine that was now pumping through my blood stream after a five hour absence. I should not have taken such huge drags.<br /><br />I composed myself and stumbled slowly back to the luggage carousels, praying our luggage was not lost. That would suck so bad. I had heard horrible stories of lost luggage. I did not want to write a horrible story about my luggage being lost. That's no fun. Thankfully, our luggage was not lost. My daughter found them 3 carousels down. We grabbed our bags and made our way out into the warm Floridian night. We were due to pick up the rental car and needed to catch the shuttle to the rental building. We had a grand adventure to begin. We were going on a road trip through the Florida Keys. We just had to fly down to the car to make it happen. And.......we did!<br /><br />This is where I will end my story but trust me, it is not the end by any means. It's only just begun.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0qlgvjhFIE/WUMc0JT1cqI/AAAAAAAAFHM/X5aFPfegracrpoXuzR0rSTK-o5rPxVJPQCLcBGAs/s400/a9.jpg" width="300" /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-38687633342362114662017-05-27T10:04:00.000-07:002017-05-27T10:09:51.518-07:00#27 Ride On BoatI am sitting here watching A Perfect Storm, a favorite of mine, for at least the 100th time. It is a true story about a horrible tragedy, but the passion these people had, their romances with maritime life and all of it's endeavors, I can understand fully. There is something so fascinating about coasting through bodies of water on a sailing vessel. It can be so relaxing and serene. Why? <br /><br />Maybe it is the sky touching the water. Maybe it is the sound of water meeting boat. Maybe it is breathing in the fresh air that hovers above the open water. Maybe it is the foamy, wild churn agitated by the propellers. Maybe it is surrendering yourself to both the calm and the hazard that is a body of water. Maybe it is all of this and then some.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8HInU0XX6e0/WBqME30lGsI/AAAAAAAAEBc/WARxOjISGuMLYElejlg_vWhEnxKsgcVUwCLcB/s1600/11846726_10206249455548761_7986034366306508891_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Water Churn" border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8HInU0XX6e0/WBqME30lGsI/AAAAAAAAEBc/WARxOjISGuMLYElejlg_vWhEnxKsgcVUwCLcB/s400/11846726_10206249455548761_7986034366306508891_n.jpg" title="Water Churn" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water churn</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On a clear day you can see forever. This is my constant thought when I gaze out into a massive body of water. Nothing but water and sky forever. Is this what heaven looks like? For some, I am sure it is. Heaven on earth is all around us, we just have to see it. Believe it. I myself have glimpsed many illustrations of heaven on earth.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TCFd2s-2RYM/WBqKF-ATSyI/AAAAAAAAEAw/0zkWPfDBANoZXDRmlaUFGHteDzBc__BDQCLcB/s1600/11822446_10206249452988697_4297182532634535501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cape May Sunset" border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TCFd2s-2RYM/WBqKF-ATSyI/AAAAAAAAEAw/0zkWPfDBANoZXDRmlaUFGHteDzBc__BDQCLcB/s320/11822446_10206249452988697_4297182532634535501_n.jpg" title="Cape May Sunset" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Cape May on a boat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I remember taking my kids on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry when they were younger. We would always make sure to take one of the last boats of the night back from Delaware to Jersey. Riding in a boat on the ocean at sunset is one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring experiences one could have.<br /><br />I used to ask them if they could hear the sun sizzle when it touched the water. We would stand there and listen intently. All we heard were waves but I swear in our minds that sizzle, though very faint, did resonate in our ears. We would stand by the railing, smiling in awe at all the pinks, blues, purples and greys that made up the forever of sunset skies.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e2hVgUoFl2Y/WBqKMFp3xBI/AAAAAAAAEA0/7whBMYqHis0vi8HxAsIObDp3-JvIqahOQCLcB/s1600/11870772_10206249456108775_859273620120618431_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cape May Sunset" border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e2hVgUoFl2Y/WBqKMFp3xBI/AAAAAAAAEA0/7whBMYqHis0vi8HxAsIObDp3-JvIqahOQCLcB/s400/11870772_10206249456108775_859273620120618431_n.jpg" title="Cape May Sunset" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on a boat.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>We would bird watch. Seagulls had no qualms about coming aboard to rest their wings for a spell. We would search the waters for fish, dolphins, whales and sea monsters. Hey, they could exist. Maybe they are just shy. We tried not to mention Bruce. Only his closest friends&nbsp; could call him Bruce though. To everyone else, his formal name was Jaws. Sometimes we would breach the subject of Bruce, but never for very long.<br /><br />He was pretty scary and definitely non discriminating. He ate boats, people, holiday roasts, family pets, a lot of Quint's fishing gear, and an explosive tank. I am pretty sure he also ate both Chief Brody's and Matt Hooper's eye glasses but I have never received a definite confirmation on those casualties. Sighs! Poor Quint. Anyways, we tried to keep our boat rides a positive experience. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msZ6nLHYxhk/WBqMNiAZZzI/AAAAAAAAEBg/PyaZISzopuo6ce6h0uDRAMlP2vGOVdvtACLcB/s1600/11813394_10206249453228703_5080933085771585460_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cape May Dolphin Watch" border="0" height="302" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-msZ6nLHYxhk/WBqMNiAZZzI/AAAAAAAAEBg/PyaZISzopuo6ce6h0uDRAMlP2vGOVdvtACLcB/s320/11813394_10206249453228703_5080933085771585460_n.jpg" title="Cape May Dolphin Watch" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape May Dolphin Watch</td></tr></tbody></table>Sometimes there was a band playing on the boat. It was so much fun chilling on the water, listening to music, gazing out at the black ink&nbsp; canvas that was now the Atlantic. When the midnight blue sky blanketed the vast ocean, it became the perfect setting for gazing up at the night sky treasures.<br /><br />The view was as brilliant as a Jackson Pollack painting, splashed with bright stars and glowing planets and blinking lights from UFOs. Well they were probably airplanes but they could have been UFOs. I wasn't up there to see for myself so I cannot confirm nor deny what type of flying aircraft they were. I'm just guessing.<br />&nbsp; <br />Honestly though, there was never anything basic about our little ferry rides between Cape May and Lewes. And while I haven't rode the ferry in about 8 years, I will get back there one day. Maybe I will take a day and spend it on the Ferry going back and forth and back and forth. Why not? It's 90 minutes one way. I can do a few rounds. I know I would love it. Add that to the list!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rjM5a3BwKRo/WBqKSLDyzmI/AAAAAAAAEA4/4MswPPayrgw3-vCuqjZkQ05M0Ov-CLqYACLcB/s1600/600189_10200863120973763_1265638777_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rjM5a3BwKRo/WBqKSLDyzmI/AAAAAAAAEA4/4MswPPayrgw3-vCuqjZkQ05M0Ov-CLqYACLcB/s320/600189_10200863120973763_1265638777_n.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My kids on their first boat ride.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>I have had the pleasure of being on many boats in my life, not just ferries. I have yet to take an actual cruise but it is on the list. Of course it is. I did drive a boat for a short moment. My friend Chris let me drive his. Almost hit the bridge over the Susquehanna in Sunbury, PA, but I managed to get us through. I panicked. Chris did not. He never does.<br /><br />I do have much respect for those that do drive the boats. It's not nearly as easy as driving a car. There is so much more involved. You can't just put on the brakes. There are unseen obstacles. There are depth concerns. There are many things that go into being a captain.<br /><br />So to all the Captain Stubings out there, I salute you! And I thank you!<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZdaQ9PWTjU/WBqKaCn5PWI/AAAAAAAAEA8/u9GmCWToDtwa1Qk1JpvRgIIO2JTT_MMOQCLcB/s1600/942305_10200863462982313_1358725971_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZdaQ9PWTjU/WBqKaCn5PWI/AAAAAAAAEA8/u9GmCWToDtwa1Qk1JpvRgIIO2JTT_MMOQCLcB/s320/942305_10200863462982313_1358725971_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last outing on the Cape May Lewes Ferry. 2008</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />In closing, I believe everyone should take a boat ride at least once in their life. Doesn't have to be a cruise. It can be a ferry, a pontoon, a whale and dolphin watch, a row boat, a kayak, a yacht, a paddle boat. They all have their own unique charm to them. And if you can catch a sunrise or sunset on one of them then you will know exactly what I am saying here. All the better!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jimmy Buffet Night on the Susquehanna. Chris is the captain but he left me drive the boat a little on this day.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">It's five o'clock somewhere for Jere, Chris and myself.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypyxCSZ3dt8/WBqKs59wt3I/AAAAAAAAEBA/BJtJ3ABNMzYszYWTwQIkry2u7Mhtg0ONQCLcB/s1600/38569_1458494795809_732105_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypyxCSZ3dt8/WBqKs59wt3I/AAAAAAAAEBA/BJtJ3ABNMzYszYWTwQIkry2u7Mhtg0ONQCLcB/s320/38569_1458494795809_732105_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jere and I partying on the boat.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XImlc8xeBRc/WBqKxcdDjKI/AAAAAAAAEBE/_A9LnpgBrngEecZOld9c6gNDyXqqyFdpgCLcB/s1600/39629_1458493795784_4439301_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XImlc8xeBRc/WBqKxcdDjKI/AAAAAAAAEBE/_A9LnpgBrngEecZOld9c6gNDyXqqyFdpgCLcB/s320/39629_1458493795784_4439301_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made some mean margaritas!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The view from the Staten Island Ferry.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aSKKgX7kRR4/WBqLj9R3LtI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/lcKAIjB8N0c2sDcmgVLsg8kleGAYC6j1gCLcB/s1600/26757_1318488015727_4522325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Staten Island Ferry" border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aSKKgX7kRR4/WBqLj9R3LtI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/lcKAIjB8N0c2sDcmgVLsg8kleGAYC6j1gCLcB/s320/26757_1318488015727_4522325_n.jpg" title="Staten Island Ferry" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staten Island Ferry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp; My favorite captain, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Captain B and his youngest Caryn.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jrWoyQT7BHo/WBqLvh-agfI/AAAAAAAAEBU/eKOh_kuvIa4nA7i6BFBKfJQKCLbQs9zvQCLcB/s1600/269188_2066078145013_3826640_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jrWoyQT7BHo/WBqLvh-agfI/AAAAAAAAEBU/eKOh_kuvIa4nA7i6BFBKfJQKCLbQs9zvQCLcB/s320/269188_2066078145013_3826640_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp; &nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">Future Captain B in the making.</span></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rzaqRwPPte0/WBqL4EKMmsI/AAAAAAAAEBY/eW26r1Qk6l8Ry7KzLuysp_LlNCFg3uZ_ACLcB/s1600/970014_10200593556034808_2007726512_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rzaqRwPPte0/WBqL4EKMmsI/AAAAAAAAEBY/eW26r1Qk6l8Ry7KzLuysp_LlNCFg3uZ_ACLcB/s320/970014_10200593556034808_2007726512_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Mate Rebecca</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ahoy Mateys! This ship is sailing........</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Chrissy</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OqMt08jvFvc/WBqRSE_l_OI/AAAAAAAAEB0/HQZx18BIDzcv2KW6DrpmA8o2EcdBgDihACLcB/s1600/14666288_10209307193990311_5433036221910826894_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OqMt08jvFvc/WBqRSE_l_OI/AAAAAAAAEB0/HQZx18BIDzcv2KW6DrpmA8o2EcdBgDihACLcB/s400/14666288_10209307193990311_5433036221910826894_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-83897660741683445812017-05-21T09:35:00.005-07:002017-05-21T16:45:49.439-07:00#454 Play In A Tournament<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w5q7uvni-58/WSG1WqPY3kI/AAAAAAAAFC4/7GiGkpOc5uA9I0QL_5u-oEB-ScQ7cKw1ACLcB/s1600/14355773_10209133932738888_2343592731630569817_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w5q7uvni-58/WSG1WqPY3kI/AAAAAAAAFC4/7GiGkpOc5uA9I0QL_5u-oEB-ScQ7cKw1ACLcB/s320/14355773_10209133932738888_2343592731630569817_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>So, just like the golf tournament I wrote about previously, my place of employment was also having a softball tournament. Of course I signed up. I signed up to cheer for the team. LOL! However, so many people signed up to play softball that there were enough peeps for our facility to have several teams. The catch was, we all had to play.&nbsp; My anxiety started hovering around level 2. I never played softball before in my life. Wiffle ball, yes. Kick ball, yes. Softball, no.<br /><br />My sister was the all star softball player growing up. My brother was the all star baseball player growing up. My dad was a little league coach. Me, I won the first grade spelling bee. Ok, so I was the nerd of the family. Alicia and Billy got cleats. I got awards for essays.&nbsp;Alicia and Billy got gloves. I got invited to take the SATs when I was 12. Alicia's and Billy's teams went to baseball and softball playoffs. I kept the score logs for the junior high girls' basketball team. <br /><br />Alicia and Billy played in district softball and baseball tournaments. I cheered for the junior high wrestlers in tournaments. Alicia and Billy saw their name in the newspaper for athletic achievements. I placed 2nd and 3rd in the state for articles/stories I wrote for my award winning junior high newspaper. Alicia and Billy got trophies. I got the Presidential Academic Achievement Award. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IbW6XsbBhzQ/WSHAprJwasI/AAAAAAAAFEo/q8qjLyaALCoX1sL9UFTtpjj5S0OhYgxHQCLcB/s1600/392290_3979252453175_1390822882_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IbW6XsbBhzQ/WSHAprJwasI/AAAAAAAAFEo/q8qjLyaALCoX1sL9UFTtpjj5S0OhYgxHQCLcB/s320/392290_3979252453175_1390822882_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior High Days</td></tr></tbody></table>I could dance. I could cheer. I could twirl a flag. I could run. That takes some athleticism. Actually, that takes a lot of athleticism. I just never played an actual "sport". As a kid, sometimes the boys in the hood would let me play wiffle ball in the street with them. I wasn't great at it but it was fun. Maybe some of that would come back to me. I mean, I couldn't be any worse at softball than I was at golf. Could I? ( Thankfully no.) I still sucked at softball, not gonna lie. I just didn't suck on the epic level that I did with golf.<br /><br />I did put in a request to be on the non competitive team, if there was one, because I didn't want to hold anyone back. I also didn't want my teammates to be mad at me because I was not very good. Turns out, most of my peeps at USCS are damned good at softball so there was no "non competitive" team. But, the team I was placed on was absolutely awesome. They were all so cool, supportive, and way fun. My anxiety was gone as soon as we started our first game of the tourney. But, I will get back to that shortly. Let's talk some more about my brother and sister.<br /><br />I told my sister I signed up to play softball because the golf tournament was a lot of fun and even more peeps were going to the softball tourney. I also confided in her that I was a little nervous and scared. She was very excited for me. She gave me tips and pointers. She dug out her gloves and insisted I wear her cleats because it was safer for me. She told me to have fun and not be scared. My sister was awesome, supportive and wonderful. My brother on the other hand, well, it went down like this.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITf7P_wua2g/WSG7GjZZJ6I/AAAAAAAAFDg/rrxxehOzrtcPPkAuAbCdIBmExJfFKF2cgCLcB/s1600/slide_237129_1191405_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITf7P_wua2g/WSG7GjZZJ6I/AAAAAAAAFDg/rrxxehOzrtcPPkAuAbCdIBmExJfFKF2cgCLcB/s320/slide_237129_1191405_free.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother explaining softball to me.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Me:</b> Visiting my parents and mentioning to them that I was playing softball next week.<br /><b>My Brother (overhearing the conversation): </b>" Please tell me you didn't join the work softball team. Please god tell me you didn't do that."<br /><b>Me:</b> "It's just a tournament. Kind of like the golf outing. It's not like we are playing a regular schedule."<br /><b>My Brother: </b>"Why Chrissy? Why do you keep hurting these people like this? I feel bad for them."<br />Bill Sr. laughing. <br /><b>Me: </b>"I don't think I will be as bad at softball as I was at golf."<br /><b>My Brother: </b>"I think you will be."<br /><b>Me: </b>"No BILL. I won't be as bad." <br /><b>My Brother smirking: </b>"Yea, okay."<br /><b>Me: </b>"Zip it!"<br /><b>My Brother: </b>"Chrissy, can you even swing a real baseball bat?" <br /><b>Me: </b>"I don't know. We can find out. Get me one and I'll swing it at you!"<br /><b>My Brother: </b>"I would knock you out before you even had a chance to swing that bat."<br /><b>Me: </b>"Whatever Bill."<br />Billy then spent the next 30 minutes telling my dad and I stories about how much fun he had on his softball teams. I wanted to have that fun too! I told him so.<br /><b>My Brother:</b> "Yea, okay. It is fun. You will have fun. Just don't get cracked in the face by a line drive or anything." <br /><b>Me (wincing because knowing my luck, that will happen.) </b>" I'll duck or fall to the ground or something."&nbsp; <br />A few minutes later my brother returns with one of his gloves. I didn't even ask him for one. He was being nice to me. Wow! He told me to use that glove to play. He also told me to catch the ball with the glove and not with my head. His finals words to me......<br /><b>My Brother: </b>"If you ruin or lose my glove, I will find you. I will hunt you down and you will pay." <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WlZperIK6Jc/WSG3Rc49PSI/AAAAAAAAFDE/gG5uE51NEscKgh10PJeWkXmFM3xCuAbqACLcB/s1600/The%252Bgodfather_2bdab8_4664173.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WlZperIK6Jc/WSG3Rc49PSI/AAAAAAAAFDE/gG5uE51NEscKgh10PJeWkXmFM3xCuAbqACLcB/s320/The%252Bgodfather_2bdab8_4664173.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother explaining the rules of his glove.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Talks of hunting partings and pending death soon subsided as Saturday, September 17th fast approached. The tournament was slated to start at 10 am. Schultzie and I headed down to Allentown to meet up with our other work peeps. I bought two cans of Vanilla Bean Monster drinks hoping they would keep me energized. I never had them before. I was hoping they would work. I drank one on the way down. My right eye started twitching and I had the steering wheel in a death grip to prevent me from waving my hands in the air like I just don't care. Yep, they work. <br /><br />I also brought the vodka mini bar with me but I was by no means planning on getting blasted like I did at golf. Number #1, I drove this time. Number #2, the vodka was mostly for pain management. I remembered to bring ibuprofen as well. I have never played in a tournament like this before so I had no clue how long we would be here or how many games we would play. I was afraid I would get excruciating pains like I did with golf. I was terrified actually. I still cringe thinking of the pain in my lower arms and wrists the day after golfing.<br /><br />We arrived to the park. Ed greeted Cindy and me. He suggested I move my car all the way down the block by his car in case there were any fly balls. I was parked right next to two fields. Good thinking! I do have a warranty on my car as well as full coverage but why even put myself through the possible hassle of a smashed windshield or window right? I totally moved my car. Cindy and I walked the five miles back to the field and set up our chairs.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbDm9AQhp3c/WSG97EzragI/AAAAAAAAFEE/F6GG0fzXBOI66eKSkJm9Hj7aOGSHVpUVQCLcB/s1600/3066595bcfcd2686f7850e0da5363e56_cleveland-indians-memes-major-league-movie-meme_720-405.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbDm9AQhp3c/WSG97EzragI/AAAAAAAAFEE/F6GG0fzXBOI66eKSkJm9Hj7aOGSHVpUVQCLcB/s320/3066595bcfcd2686f7850e0da5363e56_cleveland-indians-memes-major-league-movie-meme_720-405.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>I noticed a few of my peeps were tossing softballs around, practicing. I figured now was as good a time as any to showcase my shitty ball throwing skills to my potential teammates. I picked up a ball.&nbsp; It was smaller, like a regular baseball. I thought were were playing with big softballs. Guess not. I started playing catch with Joe, Jeannine, Mare, Artie and Cindy. I definitely could not throw very far but I also wasn't horrible. My aim was pretty good too. I was able to catch a lot of the balls thrown at me so that was also bonus. I was already doing way better than golf and the games didn't even start yet. My anxiety was slowly decreasing.<br /><br />Larry arrived with all the gear and apparel. We were given really nice burgundy and white baseball shirts to wear. They said "Hazleton" because, that is where we are from. Hazy in the house yo! Better watch yourself! I got to pick the color of the hats for my team. I picked white hats so we could all be white hats for the day. (It's a work thing.) As more people arrived and game time approached, I decided to have one of the mini bottles of vodka. I gave one to my gorgeous girl Alicia, whom I was incredibly happy to see. I missed her face at work. It was so awesome to spend time with her. I also gave a bottle to another beauty, my co-worker Steph. <br /><br />It was now tee time. Just kidding. It was time for the first pitches of the tournament. We were split up into our respective teams. Our facility had three teams playing in the tourney. My team was going to play on the field at the far end of the complex. We were playing against the Quakertown facility. We packed up our drinks and made our way to the field. It was kind of warm already. Not 90+ degree, threshold of hell warm like the golf outing but it felt like it was going to be in the high 70's, low 80's. I was eyeballing the free beverage table to make sure there was enough beverages to quench my constant thirst. There was thank goodness.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vWmbUFqHHI/WSG-BNa4xwI/AAAAAAAAFEI/PThCU3vtxNcvLaBckSB0uKItBizI_TsyQCLcB/s1600/7fc0bc6b75b6d0c58ca43496cd870c84.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vWmbUFqHHI/WSG-BNa4xwI/AAAAAAAAFEI/PThCU3vtxNcvLaBckSB0uKItBizI_TsyQCLcB/s320/7fc0bc6b75b6d0c58ca43496cd870c84.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need my beverages!</td></tr></tbody></table>As we arrived at the field, I told my fellow teammates that if there were too many people and not enough positions, I would be okay sitting out since I was not that good. My teammate Kelvin said no way. I was a member of this team and they wanted me to play. I was going to be the catcher. I felt so happy. I was so honored. I was going to be Gary Carter for my team. I was gonna make them so proud in three...two....one....<br />Wait for it.....<br />Wait for it..... <br />Now!<br />Anxiety level 70000. Oh my god!! I was going to be Gary Carter for my team? There had to be a mistake. <br /><br />Gary Carter is a legend. Gary Carter was really, really, realllllly good at baseball. I can't be Gary Carter. I'm nowhere even remotely on the level with Gary Carter. Gary Carter had extensive baseball knowledge, athleticism and talent. I personally saw his plaque hanging in the Baseball HOF. It was on the wall. I took a freakin picture of it!! I gazed at it in awe and amazement. I mean it was Gary Carter, all star catcher for the 1986 World Champion Mets! <br /><br />I didn't even know what a softball was supposed to look like. I was walking around earlier in the morning with my brother's baseball glove on the wrong hand for Christ's sake. I was a speck of dust on Gary Carter's cleats. As a matter of fact, I should not even be using my name and Gary Carter's name in the same sentence. It was sacrilegious. WTF is wrong with me?<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDMhwCOx-qM/WSG30AaxybI/AAAAAAAAFDM/NxhLPHxAYLUkVGJIIioksvsxD97-0AY5QCLcB/s1600/youre-killin-me-kid-youre-killing-me-smalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDMhwCOx-qM/WSG30AaxybI/AAAAAAAAFDM/NxhLPHxAYLUkVGJIIioksvsxD97-0AY5QCLcB/s1600/youre-killin-me-kid-youre-killing-me-smalls.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ed's typical reaction to me.</td></tr></tbody></table>Panicked, I run over to Cindy and Ed. I announce that I am going to be the catcher and I have no clue how to be a catcher. I did not even have a catcher's glove. This was bad. This was epic failure. We were so much going to lose because of me! Laughing, they both reassured me that catching in a softball tourney is not the same as catching in a major league baseball game. But Gary Carter had to catch all those foul balls and he got knocked over a lot guarding home plate. What if someone has to throw a ball to home plate? Ed laughed and said to stay out of the way of the pitcher. I looked at him like he had two heads. I do that a lot. I ask him why? He said the pitcher will run to home plate and catch the ball.<br /><br />Okay but what if the pitcher catches the batter's ball but there is a runner at third base coming to home plate and the pitcher has to throw the ball to me? Ed's reply was that I should try to catch the ball. I think the color left my face because he stated that there were enough basemen around to help me catch balls at home plate. If I see them coming, stay out of their way and let them do their thing. He was right. I needed to calm down. I always do this stuff to myself. If the pitcher throws the ball and I miss it, the Earth will still rotate around the sun and we will all live to see another day. Chill the F@CK out Chrissy!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3F_uMaBuPhg/WSG8Zvoz37I/AAAAAAAAFDs/dBHeBVwsvPkbpygFEVp71pmymDC9T1cpwCLcB/s1600/cartertime-8-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gary Carter" border="0" height="303" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3F_uMaBuPhg/WSG8Zvoz37I/AAAAAAAAFDs/dBHeBVwsvPkbpygFEVp71pmymDC9T1cpwCLcB/s400/cartertime-8-web.jpg" title="Gary Carter" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freakin' awesome. Still get the chills!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SmMs3HysuM/WSG8hT4Dc-I/AAAAAAAAFDw/DjtSxPnZwmwU7qigiUbHBHHeqvRQX5ofQCLcB/s1600/20130329_inq_mets29-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gary Carter" border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SmMs3HysuM/WSG8hT4Dc-I/AAAAAAAAFDw/DjtSxPnZwmwU7qigiUbHBHHeqvRQX5ofQCLcB/s400/20130329_inq_mets29-a.JPG" title="1986 NY Mets" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a great pitcher catcher combo back in the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5R8dSHlHhgw/WSG8slHoNcI/AAAAAAAAFD0/OGKtSJQ2EMkAcgVe0e9Hc2C8xoxrovl-QCLcB/s1600/dykstra-mets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dykstra Gooden Strawberry" border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5R8dSHlHhgw/WSG8slHoNcI/AAAAAAAAFD0/OGKtSJQ2EMkAcgVe0e9Hc2C8xoxrovl-QCLcB/s400/dykstra-mets.jpg" title="NY Mets 1986" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sighs. I liked the bad boys at an early age I guess.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We take our positions. I crouch down behind home plate like Gary Carter used to when he played for the World Champion New York Mets. We won't get into his Montreal Expos stint. I'm definitely going to achieve a personal best for squats today I thought. I was kind of excited for that. As for the rules of home plate, if the ball touches home plate at all it is an automatic strike. Each batter also starts with one strike already against them. I guess it helps move the tournament along faster.<br /><br />Our opponents strike out pretty fast. Yep. The rules definitely helped move things along pretty fast. It was our turn to bat but the other team did not have enough gloves. Someone on my team picked up my brother's glove and was going to hand it to one of our opponents. I had a mini heart attack. You see, my brother was really, really being nice to me because he gave me his best, most favorite glove to use. That is why he threatened to end my life if it got lost or ruined. His name was not on the glove and I did not study the glove enough to recognize it. I could not lose this glove. I did not want to die. <br /><br />I get the glove back and put it by my purse. I turned my head for a moment and someone else picked up my brother's glove and handed it to someone. Oh my god. Please don't do this to me people. I really want to share but the consequences could be fatal for me. I have two kids in college that need their mother.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wY1uU3mp-4Y/WSG3kzb5tPI/AAAAAAAAFDI/qRgoB0acy24J0I62yUdJU5a5LyQDH7dpgCLcB/s1600/200_s.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wY1uU3mp-4Y/WSG3kzb5tPI/AAAAAAAAFDI/qRgoB0acy24J0I62yUdJU5a5LyQDH7dpgCLcB/s320/200_s.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What my brother will do if I lose his glove.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I walked over to the guy who had been handed my brother's glove. He had really long, perfect dreads. I called him Troy Polamalu. Troy did not wear his hair in dreads, I know this, but this guy was very soft spoken like Troy, and had long black hair like Troy. He was also wearing black and yellow socks. The guy took the nickname as a compliment.<br /><br />I explained the whole brother situation to him. I told him that he was the only one allowed to use the glove and that he must give it right back to me after each inning because I wanted to live. He laughed and said it was a deal. He promised to take good care of the glove. And he did! I sat on the bleachers watching my teammates at bat. Holy shit were they good. Kelvin, Rafael, Alex, Clay, Robert, Alex #2, even Ed, they were all knocking them way into the outfield. These guys were good. These guys were real good. The boys definitely came to play today.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87Knf47zdRc/WSG3_LgJtPI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/gG6hFBmQ4Js04y_sE42TXtjZ52AvaCPhgCLcB/s1600/8eaa5debdf93473b75eb8f52087b7107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87Knf47zdRc/WSG3_LgJtPI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/gG6hFBmQ4Js04y_sE42TXtjZ52AvaCPhgCLcB/s320/8eaa5debdf93473b75eb8f52087b7107.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ed asking me why I was swinging at every ball.</td></tr></tbody></table>When it came my turn to bat, I did not knock any balls into the outfield like my team mates did. But, I thrashed the hell out of the air not once but twice. For a moment there I thought I experienced zero gravity. Not really, I just struck out. It's okay. I was just warming up. The second inning went pretty fast too. I also tried to catch my first foul ball. Actually Ed saw the ball fly in the air. I thought it went into the outfield. (The sun was in my eyes.) All I heard was Ed yell, "FESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! Get the ball!!!!!" I start looking up into the sky, shoulders hunched up around my neck for fear of getting knocked in the head by the foul ball and proving my brother right.<br /><br />As I was twirling around looking into the blinding sun above me for this damn ball, the umpire taps me on the shoulder. I spin around too quickly, almost tripping myself up and falling on my ass. I'm still all hunched up, paranoid that the ball is going to fall out of the sky and crack me in the head. The umpire smiles and hands me the ball. I give him a confused look. How did he get the ball I wondered? Turns out it fell to the ground behind me like five minutes ago. I smile and thank him for doing my job for me. He gets a laugh out of it. So do I. Making an ass out of myself isn't just a natural talent for me, it's a bona fide gift. I embraced and accepted it a long time ago.<br /><br />By the fourth inning of the game, it has become a slaughter. We are killing the other team. The score was like 12-3. I finally hit my first ball too. It was a line drive but there wasn't much speed on it. I was actually shocked I hit it to be honest. It took me a moment to get my feet moving but when they started, I flew to first base. I was tagged out unfortunately. As we walked back to get our gloves to take the field again, a few of my teammates came over and commended me on my hustle. I was pretty fast for a little one.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcHqV_M1epw/WSHB0-B3ddI/AAAAAAAAFE4/GTnBrcpNx_A2IT2_3Tys6suGQkYzASJ2QCLcB/s1600/81cc7a474b3d8877ef200116bfe7878b_-memes-major-league-movie-meme_680-383.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcHqV_M1epw/WSHB0-B3ddI/AAAAAAAAFE4/GTnBrcpNx_A2IT2_3Tys6suGQkYzASJ2QCLcB/s320/81cc7a474b3d8877ef200116bfe7878b_-memes-major-league-movie-meme_680-383.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />I don't mean to brag but I did finish second in the 50 yard dash and third in the 100 yard dash in the fifth and sixth grade on track and field day. I got cute little red and white ribbons. In my sophomore year, my gym teacher recommended I join the track team but I worked full time. Plus, the girls on the high school track team were amazing. They were always making it to districts. I was fast but they were bionic. And forget long distance running. I had zero endurance. LOL.<br /><br />In the fifth inning I realized that I was the only catcher that was crouching. The opponents' catcher was just standing behind the plate. I looked down to the other field. That catcher was also standing behind the plate. Perhaps I was taking this catcher thing too serious? I don't know. I decided to just own it for the rest of this game. Next game I wouldn't crouch as much. Maybe I would though. I was getting some serious leg work in. Hell, I was getting a total body workout. As I was pondering those thoughts, I got hit in the face with the ball.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WDwAn_qXM2s/WSG9JapeefI/AAAAAAAAFD4/Q_h-CsHaEfsbJKCdYcDdW0BMSIZDMkkVQCLcB/s1600/spmzw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WDwAn_qXM2s/WSG9JapeefI/AAAAAAAAFD4/Q_h-CsHaEfsbJKCdYcDdW0BMSIZDMkkVQCLcB/s400/spmzw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Seriously?? Did that just happen for real? Fuuuudddgggeee! No one else seemed to notice because I was able to get my hand up to the ball before it smacked my face too hard. I think Ed saw it but that was it. It still hurt way worse than the crotch ball I took in the second inning. People did notice that hit. I blushed and laughed that one off. Anyways, I could feel my lip starting to throb and sting. I could hear my brother laughing in my head. My nose wasn't bleeding thank god but it hurt. This was all Billy's fault. He jinxed me. I shook it off but I also felt a very deep resentment towards my brother. Jerk! <br /><br />On to the sixth. It was in the sixth inning that I had my one big play of the day. By now I was warmed up. I was laughing, screaming and having fun. We all were. Our opponents were awesome and hilarious. Ed was hanging from the fence managing the team like Davey Johnson. Schultzie and I both told him managing was in his blood. He couldn't help it. I still wasn't so hot at catching the ball but I was great at scrambling to pick them up off the ground.<br /><br />The last batter of the game was at the plate. He smacked a foul ball into the air. I was able to keep my eye on it. My gloved hand was stretched as far as it could reach. As the ball was falling from the sky, I realized it was going to land right on my head. "Don't stand directly under it dork!" I scolded myself. I backed up slightly. I have got to catch at least one foul ball today or I totally failed as a catcher I tell myself. Why I decided to reach up and catch the ball with my bare hand was beyond me but it did it. I regretted it immediately. Holy F that hurt!!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4kDeySwosk/WSG9htMDl6I/AAAAAAAAFD8/r_yDNoukksIqgiiq9lQUo1FL_jBPYsiaQCLcB/s1600/PedroCerrano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4kDeySwosk/WSG9htMDl6I/AAAAAAAAFD8/r_yDNoukksIqgiiq9lQUo1FL_jBPYsiaQCLcB/s640/PedroCerrano.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I caught a ball!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I heard Ed screaming in the background that I just caught that ball with my bare hand. I had a death grip on the ball, mostly because my hand really hurt. The shock was still reverberating down my fingers and into my arm. I did not want to drop the ball either. My teammates congratulated me as I stood frozen in shock behind home plate, the ball still in a death grip. I was completely dumbfounded because I actually caught a ball. It was great! I could not wait to tell my other peeps what happened. See, I'm not so bad at this. Just kidding. Yes I am.<br /><br />We walked back down to the main field. There wasn't much down time though. We were slated to play one of our own teams next on the main field. Mare pitched for this Hazleton team. She was too cute standing up on the mound too. I was cheering for her but since we were supposed to be bitter rivals I informed her that I could not cheer for her too much. We both laughed. I still cheered for her though. How could I not cheer for my girl. She did awesome but our team ended up winning that game too. <br /><br />This game went on a little longer because both teams were good. There were a lot of runs scored on both sides. I was starting to feel some fatigue. Thankfully, we were able to sit for a few minutes after this game while the other two games finished. The third Hazleton team made their way back to the main field. They had won too. We were playing them next. Wow! We are playing a lot of games. I had a feeling we were going to lose this one. I asked Cindy if she was good staying to watch all the games, even if we were eliminated, She said absolutely. She wanted to stay and watch too. At this time, I had no clue it was a double elimination tournament. I thought it was one and done.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sz2rbqQajLY/WSG9t7V-UtI/AAAAAAAAFEA/DgLQgVuCDOI1ohO-Xtq0nc8HtqLVw9iHACLcB/s1600/14355762_10209133930098822_178973161515437806_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sz2rbqQajLY/WSG9t7V-UtI/AAAAAAAAFEA/DgLQgVuCDOI1ohO-Xtq0nc8HtqLVw9iHACLcB/s400/14355762_10209133930098822_178973161515437806_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome players and team mates.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Our third game was slated to play on the field where we played our first game. We all walked back down. I brought two cans of diet coke with me. I'm glad I did because a stupid yellow jacket flew into my first open can. He wasn't coming back out either. I covered the can with a tissue and tossed it in the trash. I made sure to cover my second opened can with something so none of the flying bastards could ruin another refreshment on me. It was midday and the sun was hot. I needed my beverages.<br /><br />Cindy had twisted her knee a little in the previous game so I agreed to be a pinch runner for her. She was good to play and bat, but didn't want to make her knee worse with running. I was excited for the opportunity. I couldn't hit a ball to save my life but Cindy could. I had a good shot of making it to a base with her batting. Teamwork people! It's a beautiful thing. I actually got to run a few times in this game. I only made it safe to first once but once is better than never right?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItGp8tN4nko/WSG_DGWbatI/AAAAAAAAFEY/1fe9GVsmzDwkXCuqfgdJicLd6a4W_cptQCLcB/s1600/14333734_10209133931858866_5437132012814823729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItGp8tN4nko/WSG_DGWbatI/AAAAAAAAFEY/1fe9GVsmzDwkXCuqfgdJicLd6a4W_cptQCLcB/s640/14333734_10209133931858866_5437132012814823729_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazleton representing. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />As expected, our team got our asses handed to us. This Hazleton team was just too good. I'm not gonna lie, I was actually a little relieved we lost. I was losing steam fast. Cindy and I walked back to our chairs. They were cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on a grill. I wasn't hungry yet though. I just wanted to sit. A couple of peeps sat with us. A couple of peeps went across the street to watch the game taking place on the third field.<br /><br />I walked over for a few minutes to see what teams were playing over there. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Mare's team was playing. Hmmmmm. It dawned on me this was a double elimination tourney. I was not yet done playing softball. I was okay with that. I was getting one hell of a workout. I figured if I played in one softball tournament a week, not only would I be a skinny bitch but I would also be able to eat and drink anything I wanted. I began wondering if there were any softball leagues in my town for shitty players. Probably not huh? That sucks.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPtuA0SvJS0/WSG-WWwjjgI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/BJ-IV4S5me8Q169gJQi948-Mnqqr-yNEgCLcB/s1600/0acd71a9b23dea4e92f5d48e77b06ba7e9332f72ab02e6845282c96ad781beac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPtuA0SvJS0/WSG-WWwjjgI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/BJ-IV4S5me8Q169gJQi948-Mnqqr-yNEgCLcB/s320/0acd71a9b23dea4e92f5d48e77b06ba7e9332f72ab02e6845282c96ad781beac.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now this I excel at! Napping!</td></tr></tbody></table>Unfortunately, we sat in those chairs for almost two hours until we played again. It was beautiful and breezy. We were all chatting and having some laughs. But, my muscles had tensed up. I was starting to feel sore. Earlier in the day I was getting exhausted, but my body was so warmed up from being active that there really wasn't any soreness. There was now. I did not want to move at all. Mare's team had to be spent. They played like 5 or 6 games in a row. I got even more exhausted thinking about that.<br /><br />I had hoped it would be Mare's team that would we would be playing but unfortunately it was not. I watched what happened in Mare's final game and my team was about to face it next. I can't really get into it too much but let's just say we were not thrilled to be playing this team. I took my place behind home plate. Didn't realize we were allowed to play with Sammy Sosa specials in this game. I mean, it was just a softball tournament right?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0ffphW3Mw4/WSG-OmgheuI/AAAAAAAAFEM/dFvBBYVu-gwafZwRTuHi7aAHnViV-ZizgCLcB/s1600/tumblr_meny4788ls1r1lmyro1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0ffphW3Mw4/WSG-OmgheuI/AAAAAAAAFEM/dFvBBYVu-gwafZwRTuHi7aAHnViV-ZizgCLcB/s1600/tumblr_meny4788ls1r1lmyro1_500.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a lot of crying going on. LMAO!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It's not like the MLB Commissioner's trophy was being awarded to the tournament winner.&nbsp; Sure there was some facility pride on the line but this was supposed to be a fun outing. And up until that very game, I had fun in every single game I played against each and every team I played. We laughed. We threw some playful smack talk around. We cheered when someone did something awesome at bat or on the field regardless of what team they were on.<br /><br />This team was not only a complete buzzkill but they were making everyone's blood boil. The cheating, name calling and rule changes were unbelievable. I was so happy when the game was finally over. I could care less that our team lost. There were a few decent guys on the team that came over to shake hands but the rest of them were calling us names and yelling and screaming. Our undefeated Hazleton team had to play these guys next. This is where I am going to stop talking about the games.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XQMD5EX-TJc/WSHBQp14zuI/AAAAAAAAFEw/oSodkL98IygHYybCykAPCa9GCyso_d3lACLcB/s1600/14364672_10209133930658836_382435825028379100_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XQMD5EX-TJc/WSHBQp14zuI/AAAAAAAAFEw/oSodkL98IygHYybCykAPCa9GCyso_d3lACLcB/s320/14364672_10209133930658836_382435825028379100_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister's cleats!</td></tr></tbody></table>As for the next day, I was stiff, sore and walking funny, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. There were no excruciating pains like I had with golf. It was funny because Monday at work, we were all still walking all stiff and funny. Tuesday at work, we were all still walking stiff and funny. I was not alone in my soreness. It took me almost a week to recover but like I said, it wasn't even a bad pain. It was like a really good workout kind of discomfort.<br /><br />In closing, I really enjoyed playing softball. I wore my sister's cleats and used my brother's glove. I got to experience part of what their childhood was like. I did it at the age of 43 but it was still awesome and special to me nonetheless. And despite the shit show that became the second half of the tournament, I would still play in it again. What I am really hoping is that we have a Hazleton only softball tournament. I think even more people would come because it would be local. But, I would still go to the one in Allentown again. I know what to expect now. We all did. I won't let anyone ruin my fun. And boy did I have fun! <br /><br /><br />"Crying? There is no crying in baseball.....or softball!"<br /><br />&nbsp;<span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy</b></span></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYpKwHwfFsw/WSHBpugvPAI/AAAAAAAAFE0/ekbSu6AHxds6M3iafo68mWTGSGDRzKgcQCLcB/s1600/14322279_10209130681377606_833051078492748162_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYpKwHwfFsw/WSHBpugvPAI/AAAAAAAAFE0/ekbSu6AHxds6M3iafo68mWTGSGDRzKgcQCLcB/s400/14322279_10209130681377606_833051078492748162_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-57937087773504908232017-05-18T08:41:00.003-07:002017-05-18T09:28:21.863-07:00#293 Visit The Smoky Mountains Of TenneeseeI have been following the news of the Smoky Mountain Wildfires with a heavy heart. It has been so devastating. 1000s of homes and business have been destroyed. So many families have lost everything they own, including their livelihood. 14 people were killed in those fires. Many more were injured. I have no idea how many animals perished in those wildfires fires nor do I want to know. So many animals were chased from their woodland homes and food sources by the hasty, wind driven flames. Acres upon acres of precious forestry has become scorched earth. The charred remains of this wicked fire will affect generations. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XD1k-FTeXiY/WE4ZnPwZSgI/AAAAAAAAEPA/koBj8fNiexgmtCw9R5KNylOvuMUo6u9YgCLcB/s1600/15338744_10209907744923709_839582908885699643_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XD1k-FTeXiY/WE4ZnPwZSgI/AAAAAAAAEPA/koBj8fNiexgmtCw9R5KNylOvuMUo6u9YgCLcB/s400/15338744_10209907744923709_839582908885699643_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkC9dI8B9ds/WE4ZtPO25DI/AAAAAAAAEPE/f7jqBrZfva8gnapY615yhg5L62GWznOHwCLcB/s1600/15391228_10209907745363720_7238186392992929849_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkC9dI8B9ds/WE4ZtPO25DI/AAAAAAAAEPE/f7jqBrZfva8gnapY615yhg5L62GWznOHwCLcB/s400/15391228_10209907745363720_7238186392992929849_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />And here is where this story begins........<br /><br />"Mom? Where does this road end?"<br />"I believe it ends in Tennessee."<br />This was one of the conversations my kids and I would have on the way to see their Grammom in Schuylkill Haven. We were driving I-81 south. The kids would always be like "Wow! This is a really long road."<br /><br />I would tell my kids how after prom, when I was a senior in high school, a group of my friends were going to drive 81-South to Tennessee. I was invited along. My kids asked me if I had gone on the trip. I told them that I ended up going to Hershey Park with a few other friends instead because I knew Pop Pop, aka my dad, would not have been thrilled with an after prom jaunt to Tennessee. Their eyes would get wide, then they would laugh and say "Silly Pop Pop". They had no idea how much I tortured that man with my gypsy soul. <br /><br />I informed my offspring that I still wanted to go on that trip. I still wanted to journey down 1-81 to see where this road ended. It almost haunted me. I thought about it many times while driving I-81 South. Then, in the summer of 2003, President George Bush started giving families an $800 tax refund check. We decided we were going to use our check to take a random family road trip to see where I-81 ended in Tennessee. I was about to make a dream, reality. We packed up the kids and off we went.<br /><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXrdDldbXeI/WE4apHPlqFI/AAAAAAAAEPU/KBWaFAJQ-f0_9XCARKHmaPR7QfgLvKbVgCLcB/s1600/interstate-81-map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXrdDldbXeI/WE4apHPlqFI/AAAAAAAAEPU/KBWaFAJQ-f0_9XCARKHmaPR7QfgLvKbVgCLcB/s400/interstate-81-map.gif" width="400" /></a>The sage words Pop Pop, aka my dad gave me before our trip, "Don't speed. They don't like Yankees in the South." Ironically, he gave me that identical advice before I headed down to NOLA 7 years later in 2010. Thanks dad. You don't sound at all like your dad, aka my GP. Hahahaha!<br /><br />He wasn't completely wrong though. Most of the people in the South I came in contact with were not only very nice and really cool but, they were also more fascinated with my accent than whether I was a Blue Coat or a Grey Coat. However, there were a few that were rude to me as soon as they heard me speak. Whatever. The war ended like 140+ years ago. Let it go. <br /><br />Back to my plan. We decided to leave at midnight. We figured on arriving in Tennessee around breakfast time. I had my big 50 state atlas book with me because GPS was still pretty non existent. I also brought my police scanner. We were able to hook it up to the car which was pretty cool. I remember when we were crossing the Potomac River, this weird, evangelical show started coming over the channels of my police scanner. It was very 1970's. There was organ music playing in the background as a soft spoken guy talked about people. It faded in and out for about five minutes before it was gone. Creeped me out a little. Not gonna lie. What were we getting ourselves into I thought? <br /><br />Thankfully I did do some research prior to the night we left. I spoke with some people who had been to places in the South other than Florida. Almost everyone I spoke with that had been on this journey swore by Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. They told me I would not be sorry taking my family there. I told them nothing was set in stone. We were not 100% on where we were going but I was very appreciative of their advice.<br /><br />Not going to lie, I was actually relieved to know this information. I was worried were were going to drive 11-12 hours only to find nothing, then have to turn around and come back home. Boy, was I wrong. Still, I figured we could stop at all the welcome areas to get brochures and coupon books filled with information on places to go and things to do. I was also nervous because we were certainly on a budget. We did not have much more than the $800 tax refund. We wanted fun but we also needed affordable.<br /><br />It was the longest drive I has thus taken so far in my life at that point in time. Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia all had the same mountain scenery that Pennsylvania had. Of course I needed to remind myself were were driving along the Appalachian Mountain range so the scenery was going to be the same. I don't know why but some weird part of me expected to see palm trees. I laugh at that now but back then, I thought anything midway through Virginia had to have some palm trees. Wrong! There were no exotic animals along the roadside either. Just cows. <br /><br />Once we hit Bristol Virginia I started to really get excited. This is the city that is in two states! This was the city of one of NASCAR's short tracks. (Back then I was still pretty big into NASCAR. Not anymore.) I believe I also saw the Burton brothers racing headquarters along I-81 South near Bristol. Not 100% sure it was them but it was definitely a famous NASCAR racing team's headquarters.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmSbNybxomA/WE4aLrWVPiI/AAAAAAAAEPQ/7wuXcfKsSAgNQxfG5BfV1MW02mhJie9WQCLcB/s1600/15356650_10209907461196616_2623965220131999469_ns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmSbNybxomA/WE4aLrWVPiI/AAAAAAAAEPQ/7wuXcfKsSAgNQxfG5BfV1MW02mhJie9WQCLcB/s400/15356650_10209907461196616_2623965220131999469_ns.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the Little Pigeon River</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We stopped at the Welcome Center once we entered Tennessee. I picked up a bunch of travel info and we headed to a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. (Cracker Barrels and Waffle Houses are everywhere down there.) At breakfast we decided to definitely check out Pigeon Forge, then possibly head down to Chattanooga or back up to Knoxville. We hopped in the Chevy Lumina and continued to the end of 1-81 South. The kids and I celebrated! We did it! We drove to the end of I-81 South. And yes, it does end in Tennessee.<br /><br />From I-81 South our journey took us onto I-40 West. From there, we drove into Pigeon Forge. We found a really cheap hotel in one of the travel mags called the Royal Inn for $29 a night. It had a pool and clean rooms. When we pulled up I realized it was pretty much a Days Inn. LOL! The owner of the hotel told us we came at the perfect time. It was the first week of off season. I was taken aback by that. It was only the middle of August. Up North, that was still prime time. The owner told me the kids went back to school last week, hence, it is now the off season. He also reminded me their tourist season starts a lot earlier than ours up North. Good point.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kPZRZPZTyiU/WE4X8wLq1lI/AAAAAAAAEO0/asjNSuyjgRkdxuRnomWA7d4DHaepzC-OgCLcB/s1600/15356771_10209907303672678_3940952054890157433_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kPZRZPZTyiU/WE4X8wLq1lI/AAAAAAAAEO0/asjNSuyjgRkdxuRnomWA7d4DHaepzC-OgCLcB/s320/15356771_10209907303672678_3940952054890157433_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royale with cheese.</td></tr></tbody></table>We were all tired and needed a nap after our 11 hour drive. We headed to our room to sleep. I had only reserved one night because we were still not sure what our game plan would be. Once everyone was rested and ready to go explore, we hit the main drag. We drove down the strip through Pigeon Forge, into Gatlinburg.<br /><br />We were honestly shocked and amazed at how much stuff there was to see and do here. There were restaurants, museums, outlet shops, miniature golf parks, theme parks, the aquarium, theaters, fireworks supermarkets. Yes, I said Fireworks Supermarkets! Let's light up some cannons and sparklers and shit!&nbsp; Man, the south was cool! How come I had never heard of this gem of an area before the last few weeks???<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lAipMsuYGJ8/WE4Jke786AI/AAAAAAAAEM8/Kug-tr8SqakW5sKIrc9_eI4dJiw_GvWvQCLcB/s1600/2%2B-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lAipMsuYGJ8/WE4Jke786AI/AAAAAAAAEM8/Kug-tr8SqakW5sKIrc9_eI4dJiw_GvWvQCLcB/s400/2%2B-%2BTN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the Little Pigeon River. So Pretty!</td></tr></tbody></table>I am so sheltered, I laughed to myself. We had four days to vacation before we had to head back North. After very minimal discussion, we came to a family decision that we would like to spend all four days here. There was plenty to see and do, and gathering from the brochures and travel magazines I collected, we could definitely afford four days here. When we arrived back at the hotel, I booked our room for three more nights. <br /><br />Here are some of the places we enjoyed in the Smokey Mountains.<br /><br /><b>1. The Great American Steak and Buffet Company</b><br />We decided to eat dinner at a place a friend of mine recommended. The Great American Steak and Buffet Company was owned by country singer Alan Jackson. And while I am definitely not a huge country music fan, I know who he is. I also find it ironic and very amusing that I am vacationing in an area which included a theater owned by the band Alabama and a theme park owned by Dolly Parton.<br /><br />The state of Tennessee was the home of country music but this rocker chick was down with that. It wasn't like I had to listen to it. (Yes I did. Just about every store, restaurant and radio station played country music or religious music. I was also in the Bible belt.) The buffet was outstanding. For $14 they had all you can eat Prime Rib, NY Strips, ribs and fried chicken!! I think I may have sang a bar or two of a song that had "chicken fried" in it. I didn't even know I knew that song. This was so wrong. I was going to have to spend a week listening to Metallica, White Zombie and Tool, 24/7,&nbsp; to cleanse the pallet. <br /><br /><b>2. Three Bears Gift Shop</b><br />Some of the items they were selling in these little souvenir shops around town were an absolute riot. You had the redneck switchblade which was made from a a clothespin, a rubber band and a Popsicle stick. There was also the redneck flashlight, which was made from a stick with a clothespin fastened to the end by a rubber band and a match inserted in the clothespin. The best were the redneck wind chimes. They were made from beer cans tied to a stick. These pics are similar to the little redneck gems we found in the shops<br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3jzR8vhvyWs/WEzJvL_uj4I/AAAAAAAAEMY/rpKU2fFHzZgxQ0srK8P-RKDO6dTq9RSWwCLcB/s1600/2bfe0022c9c523e294f0b499c69409fe.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3jzR8vhvyWs/WEzJvL_uj4I/AAAAAAAAEMY/rpKU2fFHzZgxQ0srK8P-RKDO6dTq9RSWwCLcB/s200/2bfe0022c9c523e294f0b499c69409fe.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cq5xtD5mTOw/WEzJqIFRPOI/AAAAAAAAEMU/EdX1QQuLhdoqAeussg3OWpwxAe0dEnkOQCEw/s1600/il_570xN.475643109_ds10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cq5xtD5mTOw/WEzJqIFRPOI/AAAAAAAAEMU/EdX1QQuLhdoqAeussg3OWpwxAe0dEnkOQCEw/s320/il_570xN.475643109_ds10.jpg" width="320" /></a>.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B6DFSLJDhk/WEzJ4pLmKJI/AAAAAAAAEMc/OcwDa9hBHp02xn4gBDogxr9fSJamAydQACLcB/s1600/11128056445_4e2016e776_b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B6DFSLJDhk/WEzJ4pLmKJI/AAAAAAAAEMc/OcwDa9hBHp02xn4gBDogxr9fSJamAydQACLcB/s200/11128056445_4e2016e776_b.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In the backyard of one souvenir shop, there was an actual moonshine shanty from the early 1900's. The original moonshine tanks were still there. A family of 8 once lived in the one room shack. It smelled awful. The kids and I wandered around the room, amazed that so many people lived in one room. I may have also though to myself, how did the mother not lose her freakin mind because if I had to be trapped 24/7 in the same room as my family, as much as I love them, I would have definitely packed my shit and moved into the coop with the chickens. Wouldn't have taken me long either. Maybe 48 hours but probably less. <br /><br />The kicker of this 1900's moonshine shanty/home to a family of 8 was.....there was an actual drive thru window!! It was still there too. You could open and close it. I know because...I opened it and closed it. Customers would either walk up to the window or ride in on their horse drawn buggy's, knock on the window, and place their order. Only.... they weren't ordering no cheeseburgers and fries, they was getting their shine on. Whoa Nelly! I found this to be so cool and rather humorous. <br /><br /><b>3. Cooter's Place&nbsp;</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b>Just the good ol' boys, never meaning no harm......<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l16GhOh7-6k/WE4V-CgVIiI/AAAAAAAAEOQ/0InzzwUUflMv3FnGyqYKoUhX4Ve1K4nBgCLcB/s1600/13-TN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cooter's" border="0" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l16GhOh7-6k/WE4V-CgVIiI/AAAAAAAAEOQ/0InzzwUUflMv3FnGyqYKoUhX4Ve1K4nBgCLcB/s400/13-TN.jpg" title="Cooter's" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooter's Pace</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Hmmmmm. An area which boasts of shanties, moonshine, country music and rednecks reminds me of a Dukes of Hazzard episode. If only there was a Dukes of Hazzard museum around here. That would be sweet. Well guess what? There is Dukes of Hazzard museum down there and it's called Cooter's&nbsp; Place. We so much visited this redneck relic museum too. Ben Jones, the actor who player Cooter in the Dukes owned this little treasure on the outskirts of Gatlinburg. He had some of the real cars used in the series on display including Daisy Duke's White Jeep "Dixie", Roscoe P. Coltrane's police car, Cooter's tow truck and of course, one of the numerous the General Lees.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OFXXP9MOvrM/WE4WFKxnu5I/AAAAAAAAEOU/-07uQaAyRY08wm9aWNl6GXuhQboe6x7wwCLcB/s1600/15400440_10209907458596551_301566423296722387_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cooter's" border="0" height="201" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OFXXP9MOvrM/WE4WFKxnu5I/AAAAAAAAEOU/-07uQaAyRY08wm9aWNl6GXuhQboe6x7wwCLcB/s400/15400440_10209907458596551_301566423296722387_n.jpg" title="Cooter's " width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and The General Lee</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K3hXF4ABRRI/WE4WTColW_I/AAAAAAAAEOg/CpVY-lkORjQQ1vTLHeskuNV99sMO7J9mQCLcB/s1600/15442360_10209907303472673_8026952775398354972_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cooter's" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K3hXF4ABRRI/WE4WTColW_I/AAAAAAAAEOg/CpVY-lkORjQQ1vTLHeskuNV99sMO7J9mQCLcB/s320/15442360_10209907303472673_8026952775398354972_n.jpg" title="Cooter's" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dixie and feeding pigeons, cuz it's Pigeon Forge.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />We had a lot of fun looking at all the memorabilia displayed throughout Cooter's Place. All of this brought me right back to Friday nights when I was a kid. My siblings and I loved watching the adventures of Uncle Jesse and his nephews, Bo and Luke Duke. They had a such a knack for pissing the living hell out of Boss Hogg and his deputies. I loved Roscoe's little basset hound too. Too cute! It really was so great growing up in the 80's. Sighs. What happened to the world?<br /><br /><br /><b>4. Ripley's Aquarium of The Smokies</b><br />Speaking of shows from the 80's, another great show was Ripley's Believe It Or Not. I used to catch that show all the time as a kid. Some of the stuff I saw on there was just crazy and downright freaky! I had no idea Ripley's had expanded into the aquarium business until we came to Tennessee. Of course we were going to visit. They had Jaws in there! Well not that Bruce but relatives of Bruce.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s7OmUFzknF0/WE4LxNZBSOI/AAAAAAAAENI/8hsSZouIYp4_KVSHfjU1N9f7mIPHHD5egCLcB/s1600/15421001_10209906811860383_1777650606356044214_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ripley's Aquarium" border="0" height="175" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s7OmUFzknF0/WE4LxNZBSOI/AAAAAAAAENI/8hsSZouIYp4_KVSHfjU1N9f7mIPHHD5egCLcB/s400/15421001_10209906811860383_1777650606356044214_n.jpg" title="Ripley's Aquarium" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripley's Aquarium was amazing!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QoU9mMjMTI0/WE4Q6pgmK6I/AAAAAAAAEOA/X3zuHhdcHC8eUxg_Lp13TqIZXXor6MOsgCLcB/s1600/15355659_10209906818060538_2018730774345669515_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QoU9mMjMTI0/WE4Q6pgmK6I/AAAAAAAAEOA/X3zuHhdcHC8eUxg_Lp13TqIZXXor6MOsgCLcB/s400/15355659_10209906818060538_2018730774345669515_n%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><br />The aquarium was beautiful from the outside but was even better on the inside. It was less than half the size of the Baltimore Aquarium but I have never seen an aquarium with such amazingly crystal clear water. The tour guide informed us that this aquarium had a state of the art filtration system that was brought in from Japan. At the time, in 2003, this aquarium was the only aquarium in the United States using this Japanese system.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZMvZsEiQm0/WE4NVgGfugI/AAAAAAAAENc/5nwzVAaJgHo9G-zlXtTlwKtKip4WuR8bwCLcB/s1600/8-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZMvZsEiQm0/WE4NVgGfugI/AAAAAAAAENc/5nwzVAaJgHo9G-zlXtTlwKtKip4WuR8bwCLcB/s320/8-%2BTN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sp many tropical beauties. </td></tr></tbody></table>We were able to walk through a clear glass tunnel under the large great white tank. I remember looking up and seeing the Great White swimming right above my head. His many, many teeth were razor sharp and his belly, pure white. He was scary as hell but a very beautiful creature nonetheless. We stood under the tank in awe for a long time just watching him swim around us.<br /><br />As we continued through the tunnel, we came upon many tanks and displays holding huge, willowy Man O War jellyfish, adorable glow in the dark sea horses and tons of tropical fish. My pictures do none of it justice.The glow in the dark sea horses were so pretty and teeny. They were so cute.<br /><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLcbD5bI0N0/WE4NMwB8JqI/AAAAAAAAENU/ku2TsrWsM3YBbXwMqba-fTu_eLGjES-KwCLcB/s1600/9%2B-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLcbD5bI0N0/WE4NMwB8JqI/AAAAAAAAENU/ku2TsrWsM3YBbXwMqba-fTu_eLGjES-KwCLcB/s320/9%2B-%2BTN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shhhhhhaaaarrrrrkkkkkkkkk!!! </td></tr></tbody></table>We headed over to the interactive part of the aquarium next. Heather was able to pet a baby manta ray in the petting tank. We had to be cautious though because they also had baby sharks swimming around in the petting tank,&nbsp; which I found to be kind of odd and dangerous. The baby sharks were adorable, I must admit, but their mouths were still full of razor blade teeth. Baby or not, you still needed to be very careful.<br /><br />Another awesome part of the interactive center was the traveling Titanic Expo. This expo was very informative and really cool. There were portholes we could peer through that showed what the iceberg looked like rubbing against the ship. They had a replica of the bell used to warn of oncoming icebergs. Ringing it gave me the chills. They had charts and maps explaining the depths of the ocean and where the pieces of the Titanic landed on the ocean floor. They had replications of the china and decor that graced this magnificent ship. What affected me the most though, in this amazing exhibit, was the simple water display.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAxbiW59NXs/WE4Nc1GwYbI/AAAAAAAAENg/Ryz9dWJv5Hkzk6MadlKvqRiWQ4G4mLKKACLcB/s1600/7-TN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAxbiW59NXs/WE4Nc1GwYbI/AAAAAAAAENg/Ryz9dWJv5Hkzk6MadlKvqRiWQ4G4mLKKACLcB/s320/7-TN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun in the interactive area.</td></tr></tbody></table>The exhibit had this tank of water with portholes for everyone to place their hand inside. The water was chilled to the exact degree of the the ocean's temperature the night the Titanic sunk. I knew it was going to be cold but when I stuck my hand into that water it literally took my breath away. It was the coldest water I had ever felt. All I could think about was how those people must have suffered, entering the painfully freezing abyss of the Northern Atlantic. So devastating.To this day I remember this exhibit very clearly.<br /><br /><br /><b>5. The Old Mill Square</b><br />The Old Mill Square includes a restaurant and quaint little shops. We did not have a chance to dine at the restaurant, but we did visit the stores and walk the grounds. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The Old Mill itself was built in 1830 to damn the Little Pigeon River. It still functions to this day. We stopped and watched the the mill wheel spin as the water spilled over the damn. It was very relaxing and peaceful.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gpx6cO6KsUU/WE4JZFP4VzI/AAAAAAAAEM4/Xd8PV43Nuf0zPKtliPrlDNRkXD1tEHnJQCLcB/s1600/3%2B-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Little Pigeon River" border="0" height="283" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gpx6cO6KsUU/WE4JZFP4VzI/AAAAAAAAEM4/Xd8PV43Nuf0zPKtliPrlDNRkXD1tEHnJQCLcB/s400/3%2B-%2BTN.jpg" title="Little Pigeon River" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Mill, Little Pigeon River</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b> </b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5dTQm_u8wI/WE4JQKHTmfI/AAAAAAAAEM0/0GQSwXq7jeM8OjTCuoWwqrud8P8ErvSUQCLcB/s1600/4-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pigeon Forge" border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5dTQm_u8wI/WE4JQKHTmfI/AAAAAAAAEM0/0GQSwXq7jeM8OjTCuoWwqrud8P8ErvSUQCLcB/s400/4-%2BTN.jpg" title="The Old Mill" width="287" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Mill. Pigeon Forge</td></tr></tbody></table>The grounds were filled with planters and flowers. They were so pretty and colorful. We sampled chocolate covered cherries and marshmallows from the candy store. I bought a few syrups and jams from the Ole Country Store. It was my first time trying both elderberry and gooseberry jams. Both jams had an incredible flavor. Perfect to spread over buttered toast. You could easily spend a small fortune in these shops. Everything was so nice and unique.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>6. Pop's Catfish Shack</b><br />Fried catfish is huge in the Smokey Mountains. I mean HUGE! There were little restaurants and stands all over boasting of their fried catfish specials. And while I am not a huge catfish fan, when in Rome, you do want to try some local specialties and activities. I feel it really helps you genuinely connect with the area you are visiting.<br /><br />We decided on Pop's because it was all you can eat for a great price. We also liked that they still fried their fish and chicken in the original little shack they started with many moons ago. They built the restaurant around the shack. The restaurant itself had wooden walls covered with license plates from all over the country. The kids were able to spot license plates from all 50 states on the walls. Yes, even Alaska and Hawaii were representing. I thought the whole license plate decor thing was great too because it kept them occupied. I knew were going to be there awhile. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOI8T8YkOLs/WE4KWlryjwI/AAAAAAAAENA/NCTcYrFfOSovYvC21_VLghtK4Un5usF1gCLcB/s1600/5%2B-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOI8T8YkOLs/WE4KWlryjwI/AAAAAAAAENA/NCTcYrFfOSovYvC21_VLghtK4Un5usF1gCLcB/s400/5%2B-%2BTN.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pop's Menu</td></tr></tbody></table>You see, we ordered the all you can eat chicken and catfish combo. This combo came with fries, cole slaw, hush puppies, beans, corn muffins and scallions. That is a lot of food. And every person got their own servings! Holy Bargains Batman! When our server brought over the fried chicken and catfish baskets, I became a little apprehensive about trying the catfish. What if I did not like it? Sighs. I took a deep breath and shoved a bite of the breaded catfish strip into my mouth.<br /><br />Oh.My.God. It was delicious. I have no idea what seasonings they used in their breading but it was both spicy and flavorful without overwhelming the taste of the catfish. The catfish was most definitely fresh. It was not "fishy." They fried everything in peanut oil which also made a huge difference in the flavor.&nbsp; The chicken was even more amazing than the catfish. It was some of the best chicken I had ever tried. The hush puppies were out of this world! To this day, I have yet to find hush puppies that can even come close to comparing with Pop's. If you ever visit Pigeon Forge, this restaurant is my #1 must try recommendation. Very impressive!<br /><b></b><br /><b>7. Dinosaur Walk Museum</b><br />So, if there was an almost flop on this trip, the Dinosaur Walk Museum would be it. Do not get me wrong, they have exact replicas of dinosaurs that are truly lifelike and ginormous. But, the museum is very small, there were no interactive exhibits and it cost almost $40 per person for admission. We could not do both Dollywood and the Dinosaur Museum so we let the kids pick. My daughter absolutely loved dinosaurs. She had dinosaur books, encyclopedias, movies, documentaries, figurines and stuffed animals. The kid loved her dinosaurs. Ricky liked them too because his sister did. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xa-CJf3CoCs/WE4O0JFov1I/AAAAAAAAENo/c5lMhTUgi_Aw39Qhl6bzrkCYgGZgPXfQgCLcB/s1600/10-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xa-CJf3CoCs/WE4O0JFov1I/AAAAAAAAENo/c5lMhTUgi_Aw39Qhl6bzrkCYgGZgPXfQgCLcB/s400/10-%2BTN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinosaur Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcesRU7czfo/WE4O7Grk-KI/AAAAAAAAENs/kdZr8yi8gSkIYDbsKxazZnAi_7JFKVBmACLcB/s1600/11-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcesRU7czfo/WE4O7Grk-KI/AAAAAAAAENs/kdZr8yi8gSkIYDbsKxazZnAi_7JFKVBmACLcB/s400/11-%2BTN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I see you B.B.</td></tr></tbody></table>The dinosaur museum won the vote. I will say it was 100% worth the price of admission just to see the kids faces as they looked at all the life-like dinosaurs. Again, this is a very nice, clean museum. The workers were very sweet and informative. The dinosaurs were way cool.<br /><br />I just felt it was about $20 too much per person. If they had dinosaur rides then hell yes, $40 would be a deal. But, they did not have dinosaur rides. They may need to look into that. Maybe they could have a T-Rex puppet show or some dinosaurs follow you around trying to bite you or something too. <br /><br /><b>8. Downtown Gatlinburg and The Village </b><br />Downtown Gatlinburg reminds me so much of Jim Thorpe, PA. The streets are lined with specialty shops, art galleries, bakeries, wineries, restaurants and motels. Many of the buildings are made of brick, wood and stone. Little cobblestone sidewalks line some of the back streets. There are fountains and flowers everywhere. Trolleys shuttle people to and from different stops around the city for just 25 cents a ride. We definitely took advantage of the Trolleys. They were so much fun to ride and a nice break from walking everywhere in the August heat. I must say, Gatlinburg truly is a quaint, beautiful mountain town.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW_2vIvgbhA/WE4XxTJdvcI/AAAAAAAAEOw/GU1v4EcOiLgn6eRpcSAknq841FGwiBinACLcB/s1600/15349718_10209907466556750_5248290982845942782_ns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW_2vIvgbhA/WE4XxTJdvcI/AAAAAAAAEOw/GU1v4EcOiLgn6eRpcSAknq841FGwiBinACLcB/s640/15349718_10209907466556750_5248290982845942782_ns.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Shopping Area</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Village is a group of shops off of the main strip in Gatlinburg. Thomas Kinkade had a gallery in The Village with many of his paintings on display and for sale. It was so incredible to see his colorful work in person. His attention to detail was impeccable. In case you live under a rock and have no idea who he is, he was a painter from Northern California that specialized in nature and small town America paintings. Unfortunately he passed a few years ago, but his spirit will forever live on in his beautiful artwork. He truly was the "Painter of Light" and Gatlinburg was most definitely a Thomas Kinkade painting come to life. <br /><br /><b> </b><br /><b> </b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7Gm0TcXAIg/WE4PrW-7VkI/AAAAAAAAEN0/gYqbM11ZgcwV2U1a221UEKRs5JMfl4GSgCLcB/s1600/12-%2BTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7Gm0TcXAIg/WE4PrW-7VkI/AAAAAAAAEN0/gYqbM11ZgcwV2U1a221UEKRs5JMfl4GSgCLcB/s400/12-%2BTN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Village, Gatinburg, TN</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Village cottage shops were mostly comprised of European crafts and foods ranging from Celtic blankets, English baked goods, European cheeses, Scottish perfumes and lotions, to Irish pressed and dried flowers, British candles and European family crests. It was a little slice of Europe in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. I bought a little ceramic beehive honey jar and honey candies from The Honey Pot as a memento from my Smoky Mountain trip. The honey candy tasted so soothing and sweet. I need to find more of it. I know a local farm stand in Drums, PA used to sell the candy as well. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdaSYLbn4kA/WE4XogFFkHI/AAAAAAAAEOo/wJbAumGc6WsYh0SfXAxiJIydcEs3nFO9ACLcB/s1600/15356734_10209907460756605_5304325115991431193_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdaSYLbn4kA/WE4XogFFkHI/AAAAAAAAEOo/wJbAumGc6WsYh0SfXAxiJIydcEs3nFO9ACLcB/s320/15356734_10209907460756605_5304325115991431193_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Kinkade Gallery</td></tr></tbody></table>At the Smoky Mountain Winery, I sampled a May Wine and I absolutely fell in love with the flavor. Never had I tried May wine before. Then again, back in 2003, I was mostly a non drinker. I did try a May Wine in NY a few years ago, and while it was very good, it did not compare to the May Wine from the Smoky Mountain Winery.<br /><br />At the Pepper Palace we sampled some colorfully named hot sauces as well as some exotic jerky meat. Ostrich meat is actually really good. Tastes like turkey. We decided to pick up a few different jerkys to bring home including kangaroo jerky which is also really good.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>9. The Lodge Cast Iron Outlet and Mr. Gatti's</b><br />Sevierville is also part of the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg Area. In fact, to get to the other two towns, you have to hop on the Dolly Parton Expressway in Sevierville. Sevierville had some cool shops and restaurants as well including the Lodge Cast Iron Outlet Store. That was also a must do for me!<br /><br />I love cooking with cast iron. And while I do not cook with it as much as I used to, there is nothing that can compare to an aged, seasoned cast iron skillet cooking food over an open fire. The food just tastes better. The Lodge Outlet was a cast iron cookware lover's dream. I picked up a few unique pieces from the outlet to add to my collection.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o8Bhr9BJAl8/WE4eE3dOo8I/AAAAAAAAEPo/7RsY3iXd7P4xkLyExVKU4ARgu6Cmz2SWQCLcB/s1600/srmrgat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o8Bhr9BJAl8/WE4eE3dOo8I/AAAAAAAAEPo/7RsY3iXd7P4xkLyExVKU4ARgu6Cmz2SWQCLcB/s320/srmrgat1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mr. Gatti's is like the Chuck E Cheese of the South? I guess it is. For their lunch special of $20, we were able to eat at the all you can eat pizza, pasta and salad buffet plus, the kids got $5.00 in tokens to share. This was 13 years ago so I am not sure what the price would be now, but for us, it was a steal. The pizza wasn't bad. It wasn't Northern pizza by any means, not even close, but it wasn't as bad as I heard Southern pizza could be. It reminded me of&nbsp; Dr. Oetker frozen pizza which I actually do like. Hey, for $20 I wasn't going to complain.<br /><br /><b>10. Pigeon Forge Factory Outlet Mall &amp; Tanger Outlet Centers in Sevierville and Pigeon Forge.</b><br />These outlets were huge, with tons of stores. We hit quite a few of them. I was able to buy the kids most of their school clothes and supplies from these outlet stores which was very awesome!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WzcSmvyTOM/WE4dHQCS2ZI/AAAAAAAAEPk/5YVB0tLBDbES7utAwhvVHt5JVM6Ef1fKgCLcB/s1600/smoky-mountain-map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WzcSmvyTOM/WE4dHQCS2ZI/AAAAAAAAEPk/5YVB0tLBDbES7utAwhvVHt5JVM6Ef1fKgCLcB/s640/smoky-mountain-map.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b>11. The Incredible Christmas Place&nbsp;</b><br />Christmas is kind of a big deal in this neck of the woods. There were quite a few Christmas shops in the area but The Incredible Christmas Place was the place to be! This store was HUGE! Seriously. It was the size of a hotel! It could have been Santa's headquarters for all I knew. It was literally head to toe Christmas on both the outside and the inside. They had every single theme and every color ornament, light and garland you could imagine. Tons of little toy trains were steaming around on tracks located throughout the entire store. There had to be at least 60-70 decorated Christmas trees in that store. Unfortunately they do not permit picture taking in their store so no pictures for me. Denied!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KgSk2VRFrmk/WE4Z-tHecoI/AAAAAAAAEPI/gA_QD3r5gFcKq5BmKkv59JTCcBLYZcEZwCLcB/s1600/christmas-place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KgSk2VRFrmk/WE4Z-tHecoI/AAAAAAAAEPI/gA_QD3r5gFcKq5BmKkv59JTCcBLYZcEZwCLcB/s400/christmas-place.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holy Christmas Stuff All Year Round</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />There were a few things we were were not able to do on our trip. We did not get a chance to visit Christus Gardens nor Dollywood. We did not get to visit the NASCAR Cafe nor Ober Gatlinburg either. It was too hot and a burn ban was in effect so we did not get to walk on any of the Smoky Mountain trails. However, we were able to do all the things we wanted to most so we were happy about that. We played mini golf, took a trolley ride and enjoyed the great foods and beautiful scenery of the Smoky Mountains.<br /><br />As we packed up and headed back towards 1 -81 North, we made sure to stop at a Sonic Drive In before we left Tennessee. At that time, there weren't any up North. I remember walking into the kitchen of the Sonic because I thought you still had to walk in to place your order. All the employees were looking at me like WTF are you doing in here?? Duh! It's a Drive In. Say's so right on the sign. Lessons learned in life.<br /><br />In closing, it's been 14 years since I visited the Smoky Mountains. I drove by it briefly on my way to New Orleans 7 years ago but haven't visited since 2003. Becky was there this past summer. She told me the attractions have probably tripled since my visit. One day I may visit again, but I have so many other places to see and adventures to experience on my list. I never say never though. What I do know is that the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee will always have a special place in my heart for it's beauty, nature, amazing food and affordability.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nU5D7iCqeuo/WE4jHh3QTZI/AAAAAAAAEP4/7WIsHOwTGOcZHjpQOm7UexAw_0NdkwZyQCLcB/s1600/196661_1011821429254_37_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nU5D7iCqeuo/WE4jHh3QTZI/AAAAAAAAEP4/7WIsHOwTGOcZHjpQOm7UexAw_0NdkwZyQCLcB/s320/196661_1011821429254_37_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><b></b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-11382562258134266422017-05-14T11:50:00.001-07:002017-05-14T11:50:30.372-07:00#175 Host A Tea PartySometimes you just have to throw a tea party!<br /><div><br /></div><div>So I did.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I had a tea party complete with fancy tea cups, pretty dresses, fun hats, mini sandwiches and plenty of tea. No one drank the tea though. We discovered it was much more fun to put whiskey, wine and vodka in our tea cups. It really was great fun too. Just to be clear though, there were tea bags, a teapot and ice tea flavored vodka at the party so it was a totally legit tea party. It does count.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vFLuAvv5TeY/VdEn2X3YsnI/AAAAAAAADlw/fBCJkMwqCEI/s1600/SAM_7345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tea party" border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vFLuAvv5TeY/VdEn2X3YsnI/AAAAAAAADlw/fBCJkMwqCEI/s400/SAM_7345.JPG" title="Tea party" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Party Time!!</td></tr></tbody></table><div>One of the beautiful things I have discovered about aging (Yes, there are some very wonderful, amazing things about aging. I was shocked too.) is that you ultimately hit a point where you don't care as much about the norms of society. The shit you were so focused on in your teens, 20's and even your 30's goes out the window. It's almost like going back to being a kid in a sense. When you are a kid and you do goofy things, it's always, well they are just kids being kids. Well the same thing can be said about older women.</div><div><br />We've been through enough life experiences and lessons to realize that there were moments where we were so close to losing our sanity forever. Moments where one more ounce of weight on our shoulders could have shattered us completely. Moments where it took every ounce of strength to crawl out of bed and face another day with such a heavy heart. And some how, some way, we managed to make it through those moments. We made it to the other side. And we did it more than once. Some of us, many, many times.<br /><br />So..... if I wanted to throw a dress up tea party for my best girl friends and me, you bet your sweet ass I was going to. I really don't care how ridiculous, silly, stupid or weird others think I am. I fly my weirdo flag proudly. Live it up people!!! There's whiskey in the Jar-O.<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fpzD2DS-Tw/VdEoO4OLUPI/AAAAAAAADl4/xxbe6sbtKk0/s1600/SAM_7353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fpzD2DS-Tw/VdEoO4OLUPI/AAAAAAAADl4/xxbe6sbtKk0/s400/SAM_7353.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely Rebecca sipping some "tea".</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBxixd7v0sU/VdEocTodAcI/AAAAAAAADmA/2VI9XSRCJ4M/s1600/SAM_7400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBxixd7v0sU/VdEocTodAcI/AAAAAAAADmA/2VI9XSRCJ4M/s400/SAM_7400.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice Tea with Ice Tea vodka. Technically this is "tea".</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVvNMh-sLKw/VdEowM7YLMI/AAAAAAAADmI/7-nHqN7ktCQ/s1600/SAM_7368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVvNMh-sLKw/VdEowM7YLMI/AAAAAAAADmI/7-nHqN7ktCQ/s400/SAM_7368.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan took this awesome picture. Good eye! <br />A little Hazlitt White Stag, not available around here. :(</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Decorating was simple and fun. My mother had some old floral bed sheets I used for tablecloths. I also had some vintage hankies to decorate the tablescape as well. My grandmother would be proud. They were hers. I found my mismatched tea cups in storage, and also picked up a few more at the local flea market for $5. They were so pretty and colorful. I used empty wine bottles to hold tapered candles and milk glass for the pillar candles stands.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, my plan to have big, beautiful wild flower arrangements did not happen, mostly due to bad weather the days leading up to the party. I was bummed because I really wanted to have vases spilling over with gorgeous, wild, free spirited flowers because it would suit my company perfectly. Instead, my tacky fake flowers became centerpieces. They actually looked quite lovely among the other colorful, mismatched decor though. Not so tacky after all. It's all in the eye of the beholder. My decor was shabby chic at it's finest and I do love shabby chic. This made me happy.</div><div><br />Besides, my guests were the true wild flowers decorating my party.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mH_nQxs62g/VdFGa7lXRyI/AAAAAAAADmY/hyKfmhwXuXg/s1600/SAM_7346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Garden tea party" border="0" height="228" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mH_nQxs62g/VdFGa7lXRyI/AAAAAAAADmY/hyKfmhwXuXg/s400/SAM_7346.JPG" title="Garden tea party" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tablescape! My very fine china plates from England were used.<br />$125 for 5 plates. Crazy!! I couldn't afford them now but back then I could.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYpDiu1mYv4/VdFHEgAWoII/AAAAAAAADmg/lGgVw3d1c_w/s1600/10536941_10204654761108888_957548952339027843_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYpDiu1mYv4/VdFHEgAWoII/AAAAAAAADmg/lGgVw3d1c_w/s400/10536941_10204654761108888_957548952339027843_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had chalices of &nbsp;jam and poundcake like the English do! Go me!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PT_I-ngenn0/VdFHY0vSMII/AAAAAAAADmo/DJPNOnGeXcQ/s1600/SAM_7363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="tea party" border="0" height="351" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PT_I-ngenn0/VdFHY0vSMII/AAAAAAAADmo/DJPNOnGeXcQ/s400/SAM_7363.JPG" title="tea party" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is some mighty potent tea!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7H_gH-ASqb8/VwmTJA73t6I/AAAAAAAAD8w/Hz-KotxeAuEFb6Bh1965pMaz-R-CHzyYQ/s1600/SAM_7348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tea party" border="0" height="235" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7H_gH-ASqb8/VwmTJA73t6I/AAAAAAAAD8w/Hz-KotxeAuEFb6Bh1965pMaz-R-CHzyYQ/s400/SAM_7348.JPG" title="Tea party" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the flowers to arrive.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>As for food, well I totally went overboard. I am part Italian and part Greek so it is my nature. Mini sandwiches, dips, crackers, cheeses, fruit, antipasti board, homemade coleslaw, summer chicken salad, and pasta salad were all part of the menu. Everything turned out delicious I must say. Just about everything was also made from scratch. It's how I roll. In fact, I am not gonna lie, I seriously spent all day Saturday cooking and prepping for my tea party. I loved every minute of it too!<br /><br />I am going to post some recipes at the end of the blog. :)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAqmEBFBhqI/VdFIvjC0S9I/AAAAAAAADm0/z6neWIqYKUE/s1600/SAM_7355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tea Party food" border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAqmEBFBhqI/VdFIvjC0S9I/AAAAAAAADm0/z6neWIqYKUE/s640/SAM_7355.JPG" title="Tea Party food" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope you are hungry! I made a few snacks!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQsxxnl_6XA/VdFJnO7Q4OI/AAAAAAAADm8/NPA56S84o54/s1600/SAM_7357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQsxxnl_6XA/VdFJnO7Q4OI/AAAAAAAADm8/NPA56S84o54/s400/SAM_7357.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the goodies!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J5QcPi8JEKE/VdFJvpoMHqI/AAAAAAAADnE/R2IM85-smeo/s1600/SAM_7358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J5QcPi8JEKE/VdFJvpoMHqI/AAAAAAAADnE/R2IM85-smeo/s400/SAM_7358.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter did a wonderful job helping me prep and set up!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div>All the ladies looked so lovely in their hats, dresses, &amp; blouses. And hoodies!! There were lots of laughs, some deep conversations and a motorboating incident. It happens. We celebrated being awesome late into the night. Which is why I will probably not have parties on a day before work anymore. (See...another life lesson.) I will never forget this day and the strength, energy and humor of this fantastic group of women I am so proud to call friends!! I plan to do this more often. Celebrating life is something we should all do more often. It doesn't have to be crazy or huge, but it needs to become more of a habit.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K-1dZeiEFro/VwlgGBF02sI/AAAAAAAAD7M/98GBMKtXfiIRaeMsPGC-R9tJkLdIX3mRA/s1600/15403_10202589692491653_6115261998831749709_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K-1dZeiEFro/VwlgGBF02sI/AAAAAAAAD7M/98GBMKtXfiIRaeMsPGC-R9tJkLdIX3mRA/s400/15403_10202589692491653_6115261998831749709_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love me some Becky B!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LguQ4LFbfo/VwlgaGsRc0I/AAAAAAAAD7Q/aw3F-C6fnFIt5raxLJaXOzCjBjeqDw6Tg/s1600/SAM_7405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LguQ4LFbfo/VwlgaGsRc0I/AAAAAAAAD7Q/aw3F-C6fnFIt5raxLJaXOzCjBjeqDw6Tg/s400/SAM_7405.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gals!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rbtkes1ycGE/Vwlgm8PNF4I/AAAAAAAAD7U/TmuCU2lWHjgh--0iv16jVcSPWMBXclbsA/s1600/SAM_7394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rbtkes1ycGE/Vwlgm8PNF4I/AAAAAAAAD7U/TmuCU2lWHjgh--0iv16jVcSPWMBXclbsA/s400/SAM_7394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Miss Schultzie Molenda and me!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xdwJXzluHK4/VwlgzFmOkiI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/EgWbIwXbCqMJZUJ5ZSHeEeB8LLjSKCXvQ/s1600/SAM_7362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xdwJXzluHK4/VwlgzFmOkiI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/EgWbIwXbCqMJZUJ5ZSHeEeB8LLjSKCXvQ/s400/SAM_7362.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sexy Miss Watson and me! Cheers baby yea!!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx_VGuYI-fE/VwlhEhqae-I/AAAAAAAAD7g/SGRDbGq3wtcNVzhF7oIg05TIOzrI1lELg/s1600/SAM_7374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx_VGuYI-fE/VwlhEhqae-I/AAAAAAAAD7g/SGRDbGq3wtcNVzhF7oIg05TIOzrI1lELg/s400/SAM_7374.JPG" width="387" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stunning Gush!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0DuFySR_8hw/VwliCanxfRI/AAAAAAAAD7s/SbhTLXjndyE_y3b1_34wuqxHkDev414Lw/s1600/SAM_7417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0DuFySR_8hw/VwliCanxfRI/AAAAAAAAD7s/SbhTLXjndyE_y3b1_34wuqxHkDev414Lw/s400/SAM_7417.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful friends Tammy, Krista and Becky.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-THys5kZ9K5A/VwliN6rkToI/AAAAAAAAD7w/SjJ17xNE5B8N1t92ir9tFg-R-VzxB4PQA/s1600/10570264_10202589663130919_1712061900137358193_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-THys5kZ9K5A/VwliN6rkToI/AAAAAAAAD7w/SjJ17xNE5B8N1t92ir9tFg-R-VzxB4PQA/s400/10570264_10202589663130919_1712061900137358193_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wealth comes in many currencies. Such pretty wild flowers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUHMyC0Np24/VwlihTQgr8I/AAAAAAAAD70/-n8EDaMxjsAb4ELUe_voixesp1y7JJUlA/s1600/SAM_7413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUHMyC0Np24/VwlihTQgr8I/AAAAAAAAD70/-n8EDaMxjsAb4ELUe_voixesp1y7JJUlA/s400/SAM_7413.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ladies loved my son and he totally ate up the attention. He wore a hat too</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Here are some of the recipes for the food and drink.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tea Party Tea Beverage &nbsp;</span></b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFb9Hjhov_E/VwmIiK4a51I/AAAAAAAAD8I/dv_HSPMjWBQqPJRTKww3kutq_bLOUj0nA/s1600/SAM_7371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFb9Hjhov_E/VwmIiK4a51I/AAAAAAAAD8I/dv_HSPMjWBQqPJRTKww3kutq_bLOUj0nA/s320/SAM_7371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Now that's how you drink a cup of "tea"!</td></tr></tbody></table>A tea cup<br />A sober person<br />1 gallon ice tea of your choice.<br />I bottle of ice tea vodka, whiskey, schnappes, &nbsp;or any alcohol of your choice.<br /><br />Pour some ice tea in a tea cup about half way.<br />Add one or all the alcohol to the cup until it is full.<br />Enjoy.<br />( Not gonna lie, there will probably come a point where you will forgo the ice tea all together and just have a mixture of various wines and spirits in your cup. Always try to have one sober person around to baby sit you before you become one shit show away from the ER. Drink responsibly people. It is fun yes, but don't kill yourself or you will not be able to have future fun.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g4A2pnrtKKg/VwmMY4JiR9I/AAAAAAAAD8U/UmFxcOBiE9YjYHAAtz-sik1X4RPcU1sig/s1600/Croissant_Chicken_Salad_Sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Autumn Chicken Salad" border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g4A2pnrtKKg/VwmMY4JiR9I/AAAAAAAAD8U/UmFxcOBiE9YjYHAAtz-sik1X4RPcU1sig/s320/Croissant_Chicken_Salad_Sandwich.jpg" title="Autumn Chicken Salad" width="320" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chrissy's Autumn Chicken Salad &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></b><br />6 cups diced cooked chicken breasts<br />1 cup grapes, halved<br />1 cup unpeeled, diced apple<br />1 cup chopped celery<br />1/4 cup chopped pecans<br />1 cup olive oil mayonaise<br />2 T lemon juice<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />Mix everything in a large bowl until well combined.<br />Serve with crackers, rolls or croissants.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g4A2pnrtKKg/VwmMY4JiR9I/AAAAAAAAD8U/UmFxcOBiE9YjYHAAtz-sik1X4RPcU1sig/s1600/Croissant_Chicken_Salad_Sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RRaaaDhnimk/VwmN64n-9gI/AAAAAAAAD8g/Vk3mzfn3XUkZHLEBUhKLc80uzh8z-yxww/s1600/Caprese%2BSandwich%2B500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Caprese Sandwich" border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RRaaaDhnimk/VwmN64n-9gI/AAAAAAAAD8g/Vk3mzfn3XUkZHLEBUhKLc80uzh8z-yxww/s320/Caprese%2BSandwich%2B500.jpg" title="Caprese Sandwich" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chrissy's Caprese Sandwiches</b></span><br />2 cloves peeled garlic<br />1 baguette sliced into this slices<br />1 7-8 oz. log of mozzarella, thinly sliced<br />3 roma tomatoes thinly sliced<br />a bunch of whole basil leaves<br />olive oil<br /><br />Rub garlic clove on one side of each baguette slice.<br />Brush olive oil on one side of each baguette slice.<br />Layer a basil leave, a slice of mozzarella, a slice of roma tomato, another basil leave, on top of a baguette slice. Place the garlic/olive oil side of another baguette slice down to top the sandwich. Repeat.<br /><br /><br />A list of great Tea Sandwich recipes.<br />I made the Apple, Ham and Brie Sandwiches but used Cheddar instead. I prefer Brie with Roast Beef.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-tea-sandwiches/tea-sandwiches.html" target="_blank">50 Finger Sandwich Recipes From The Food Network</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Keep partying like it's 1999!!!&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ciao!!</span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;">Chrissy</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NwDqYVX0ESY/VwmUELX9oFI/AAAAAAAAD80/klRysLDmsW4CpFiYy4Jxebj0MOIIybb0A/s1600/SAM_7379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NwDqYVX0ESY/VwmUELX9oFI/AAAAAAAAD80/klRysLDmsW4CpFiYy4Jxebj0MOIIybb0A/s400/SAM_7379.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275618066011001475.post-37630903950978951862017-05-11T16:16:00.000-07:002017-05-11T16:16:28.511-07:00#200 Try Golf<br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VvzZFISqV00/WJqD5cRaLTI/AAAAAAAAEj0/YQL1VI1l8_ItABOYBnoI3Vwl4sv85EP2gCLcB/s1600/gb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VvzZFISqV00/WJqD5cRaLTI/AAAAAAAAEj0/YQL1VI1l8_ItABOYBnoI3Vwl4sv85EP2gCLcB/s400/gb.jpg" width="225" /></a>So, I suck at golf. No, Seriously. I really, really, REALLY suck at golf. There ain't no sugar coating this. I am that bad. This blog is going to explain exactly how devastatingly horrible I am at golf. You see, my company has an annual golf tournament every year. This past year, we were actually allowed to go. I noticed the sign up sheet on the bulletin board last July and, I walked right past it every single time. Then, one of my nearest and dearest, Schultzie, asked me if I was going to play.<br /><br />I informed her that I hadn't a clue how to play real golf. Miniature golf, yes, I can totally play that. Real golf, well the closest I came to having any real knowledge of that sport was from the Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore movies. Never eat a Baby Ruth candy bar in a swimming pool and watch out for alligators because they will bite your hand off. That was the extent of my knowledge on golf. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kzptQjZNZ8/WJqEBWzsOGI/AAAAAAAAEj8/3bFWOL4yc4kuMIu7SFiDXfJsFS5cLZsugCLcB/s1600/1509115676-this-hat-caddyshack-judge-smails-ted-knight-hat-demotivational-poster-1266511160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Caddyshack meme" border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kzptQjZNZ8/WJqEBWzsOGI/AAAAAAAAEj8/3bFWOL4yc4kuMIu7SFiDXfJsFS5cLZsugCLcB/s320/1509115676-this-hat-caddyshack-judge-smails-ted-knight-hat-demotivational-poster-1266511160.jpg" title="Caddyshack meme" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caddyshack = Golfing 101</td></tr></tbody></table>Cindy explained to me that it was actually a lot of fun. She said a lot of people play in the work tournament without having much golfing experience. Yes, there were going to be some really good golfers at the tourney, but there were also people like me going as well. She also told me she would help me. Golfing was on my bucket list but I had always figured I would be bored one day and just try golfing on my own. (I am so glad I did not attempt this on my own.) Golfing in a work tournament however, made me very anxious, not gonna lie.<br /><br />I asked her how much it cost to play. She said it was free. Ooooh! Huge selling point! I asked her if I needed golf clubs. She told me they had rentals (free) but it couldn't hurt to bring some. I made a mental note to ask my brother if I could use his golf clubs. She also said I would get free golf balls and maybe a hat or T-Shirt. The minute she said there would be free stuff I was totally down. Sign me up! This was all free so it was totally for me. I also felt a lot of reassurance knowing she would be there with me.<br /><br />I became excited for this golf adventure because I did not have much planned for the summer. This was going to be a new experience for me and I couldn't beat the price. It was something to look forward to. I was going to check another item off my Bucket List. Yes, I was still very anxious but I tried not to think about it too much. It would be okay. Once the list of teams came out, I felt even better. We were playing in teams of four. Cindy and myself were paired with Joe and Carl from our warehouse. They were both experienced golfers and also very nice co-workers.<br /><br />I spoke to some of my other co-workers that were playing in the tourney. Turns out, there were quite a few of them going that had never played golf before. I felt my anxiety wash away completely. It was nice to know I wasn't going to be the only newbie from our warehouse on the green. A week before the outing, we were given a dress code to follow. Shirts with collars and khaki shorts or pants were to be worn. No problem. I ran to Walmart and bought a black polo shirt and a khaki skort for my outfit. Yes, I bought a skort. I couldn't believe it. I actually really like it too. Never say never right?<br /><br />I drove over to my dad's after my trip to Walmart to ask my brother if I could borrow his golf clubs since this was going down for real. My dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking when my brother walked in. I made the announcement that I was going to be playing in the work golf tournament and can I borrow his golf clubs.<br />My brother's reaction:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cpsZFfzTPys/WJqEMbP0auI/AAAAAAAAEkA/yCngiBznewAhKdL0bGaULt3v_7FfzuF2gCLcB/s1600/okAPPCN.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chubbs Happy Gilmore" border="0" height="215" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cpsZFfzTPys/WJqEMbP0auI/AAAAAAAAEkA/yCngiBznewAhKdL0bGaULt3v_7FfzuF2gCLcB/s400/okAPPCN.gif" title="Chubbs Happy Gilmore" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother upon my announcing I would be attending the work golf tournament.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Billy (dead serious): </b>" No Chrissy. Don't do that. Don't do that to them."<br /><b>Me (confused): </b>"Do what?"<br /><b>Billy:</b> "You don't know how to play golf.&nbsp; Why would you sign up for that?"<br /><b>Bill Sr. laughing. </b><br /><b>Me:</b> "It's not a serious golf tournament. It's a fun one. A lot of co-workers are going that don't know how to play golf either. And, it's on my Bucket List"<br /><b>Billy (making a face at me):</b> "You really are something else. God bless your co-workers."<br /><b>Bill Sr. laughing even more. </b><br />My brother digs out his golf clubs then comes back.<br /><b>Billy (dead serious): </b>" I have a golf tournament next week. Do not break my golf clubs or I will break you."<br /><b>Me (confused):</b> " How would you even break a golf club?"<br /><b>Billy (laughing):</b> " They can break. And knowing you, you will find a way to break them."<br />I'm not even going to argue this because he is completely right.<br /><b>Me (quietly, looking at the floor.): </b>"I won't break them."<br /><b>Billy:</b> "Chrissy I swear to god you better not break any of them. I need them for a golf tournament next week."<br /><b>Me (louder now):</b> "I am not going to break them!"<br /><b>Billy:</b> "You better not!"<br /><b>Me:</b> "Alright!"<br /><b>Billy:</b> "I mean it!"<br /><b>Bill Sr. still laughing.</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CB18efv13hE/WJp-ifBcYcI/AAAAAAAAEic/K6FMvUnFgXYpF6yfQnrWryep4-SczX9rgCLcB/s1600/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="I'm watching you" border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CB18efv13hE/WJp-ifBcYcI/AAAAAAAAEic/K6FMvUnFgXYpF6yfQnrWryep4-SczX9rgCLcB/s320/hqdefault.jpg" title="I'm watching you" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother</td></tr></tbody></table>My brother loaded his golf clubs into my Jeep while warning me 700 more times not to break them. My anxiety levels were once again pushing Def Con 3 thanks to little bro. So much for that. I went into work the next day and informed Cindy that I had golf clubs but my brother would kill me if I ruined them or broke them. She started laughing. She said she believed there would be enough rentals available but that I could also use her golf clubs. My anxiety levels went back down to non existent.<br /><br />I stayed over Cindy's the night before the tournament since it was near Allentown and we needed to be there by 7:30 am. Tee time was set for 8:00 am and they are very strict about Tee time. It was also going to be a scorcher. We were in the midst of a heat wave. The forecast was 92 degrees for Hazleton that day. Add about 5 more degrees for Allentown. I am not at all a fan of temperatures in the 90s. I hoped it would not make the day unbearable. <br /><br />The next morning, we woke a little after 5:00 am, packed our coolers and began our journey to Allentown. We made it to the golf course for a little past 7:00 am. We signed in, received our free bag of goodies, then headed to the bar for some breakfast. Bloody Marys. We also found the golf cart assigned to us. This was too exciting for me. I could not wait to drive that puppy. I walked around and said hello to my fellow co-workers. It was an absolutely beautiful, sunny morning. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue. I could also feel the temperature rising.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lG1cX_boObM/WJp_qYSJ_vI/AAAAAAAAEio/zIR1o2m_WX4_z1VBJKM3lRaWCoOEme29QCLcB/s1600/gf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lG1cX_boObM/WJp_qYSJ_vI/AAAAAAAAEio/zIR1o2m_WX4_z1VBJKM3lRaWCoOEme29QCLcB/s400/gf.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite part of golf.....this little beast right here!</td></tr></tbody></table>I pulled up my weather app to check the temperature. It was 87 degrees and it wasn't even 8:00 am. I knew I would be in dire need of liquids with the pending heat. Thankfully, our company provided us free bags of beer, soda and water bottles. We also noticed that just about everyone else had coolers with them. Cindy and I were a little hesitant about bringing out our coolers because it was noted not to bring our own coolers or alcohol. However with this heat, we were going to need them just to store some ice.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwOnLO2puSM/WJp_ydin4BI/AAAAAAAAEiw/fESEqk9EF8sHCXGmFQl-NYtDKwI1d20NACLcB/s1600/gd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwOnLO2puSM/WJp_ydin4BI/AAAAAAAAEiw/fESEqk9EF8sHCXGmFQl-NYtDKwI1d20NACLcB/s400/gd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I heart golf carts!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I ran back to the car and grabbed both our coolers. I walked over to the beverage station and took a bag of beer, some diet cokes, and a few bottles of water. I also filled another bag with ice. Cindy placed the coolers on the back of the cart and filled them with the ice. She also got golf clubs for us. I did not have to worry about breaking my brother's. Praise Jesus! Finally, we got the green light to head to our assigned holes on the green.<br /><br />Bloody Marys in hand, Cindy lead the way. I had no idea where we were starting. Turns out it was Hole&nbsp; #4. That confused me a little since I thought we all had to start at Hole #1. It did not dawn on me that 60+ people all starting on the same hole would take hours. Common sense eludes me so very often. Sighs. I was also becoming anxious again. I started worrying that I would not be able to hit the ball very far and that I would be the reason it took my team two hours to complete a hole.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6V8-d2smgR4/WJqAY9UhPWI/AAAAAAAAEi4/XZujGqTlk7slUpzHBCKkABwTg9GDpMXowCLcB/s1600/g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6V8-d2smgR4/WJqAY9UhPWI/AAAAAAAAEi4/XZujGqTlk7slUpzHBCKkABwTg9GDpMXowCLcB/s400/g.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our awesome team! Lots of laughs and fun that day!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There were other things I should have been more concerned about, but I will get to that shortly. Cindy, Joe, Carl and myself drove over to the hole. Another team was with us. Ann Marie I had the pleasure of meeting on my visit to Quakertown. She was such a sweetheart just like Cindy. Mitchell used to work at my facility. Mitchell was now working as a manager at another Quakertown facility which I had also visited. He's a good kid. It was very nice to see him and Ann Marie. Their team played the hole first. They were a complete riot. We were having so much fun already and we didn't even hit a golf ball yet!<br /><br />Unfortunately, that was the last we would see of the other team for the day because they were always one hole ahead of us. I sucked down the rest of my Bloody Mary then prepared for my turn at bat. Oops. Wrong sport. I prepared for my turn to putt. I watched Joe and Carl hit their golf balls out of the park. Yea, wrong sport again. Let's just say their golf balls flew very far down the green. Cindy did very well too. Then it was my turn.<br /><br />So now we come to the part where I should have been more concerned about other things besides how far I could hit the ball. These were important things. Things like say, being able to get the ball to stay on the tee. So, that took me about five minutes. Those little golf balls were slippy. Carl came over and adjusted my tee so that the ball would stay on it. After we successfully accomplished that task, it was time for me to take my first swing.<br /><br />It went down like this:<br /><b>Swing # 1: </b>Oops. I missed the ball.<br /><b>Swing # 2:</b> Oops. I missed the ball again.<br /><b>Swing # 3: </b>Oops. I got my club stuck in the ground.<br /><b>Swing # 4: </b>Wow. Look how much air I got on that clump of grass. <br /><b>Swing # 5:</b> Carl, laughing hysterically, comes over and shows me how to hit the ball.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jwdbr3OduA/WJqDwE8BvDI/AAAAAAAAEjw/WBOVkUc5Kn0DJ2lrhB4VTcpBUbpEFPIzgCLcB/s1600/BnEfwxBCUAAVlHO.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jwdbr3OduA/WJqDwE8BvDI/AAAAAAAAEjw/WBOVkUc5Kn0DJ2lrhB4VTcpBUbpEFPIzgCLcB/s400/BnEfwxBCUAAVlHO.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yea....this was so much me. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The clump of grass went further down the green than my golf ball did but it was a start. This was going to be a looooong day for my poor team I thought to myself. I headed towards Cindy. She was in the golf cart. I told her we wouldn't have to drive very far to where my ball landed. I also confided in her that maybe this was a big mistake. I felt horrible because it was going to take me all day to get my ball up the green. She laughed and told me that we all started at the point where the ball that was hit the farthest landed.<br /><br />This was the best news ever!!! I cracked open a beer to celebrate and I don't even like beer. I also filled my now empty Bloody Mary cup with a wine spritzer. We stopped the cart to scoop up our balls then drove to the spot where Carl's ball landed. It was pretty close to the hole. I am not sure what the name of the shorter, turf like grass that surrounds the hole is called, but I was able to utilize the mini golf skills I've acquired over the years on this turf. I could work with this. It only took me 3 swings to get my ball in the hole. Yes! <br /><br />I cracked open a Diet Coke to celebrate. I also finished my wine spritzer. The beer I opened five minutes earlier was already gone. They were smaller cans so I gulped that one down in a few swigs. Man I was parched. I was also taking over the wheel of the golf cart. Woohoo! I was going to drive the golf cart. Cindy explained what I needed to do and off we went, jerking the first few feet until I got my sea legs. I apologized for almost giving her whiplash. I apologized a lot that day.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1nFmEXU-Oc/WJqA8BiK5bI/AAAAAAAAEjI/ADQlnYwyb70WmNOrGnzsngtzmy-8QodGACLcB/s1600/gh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1nFmEXU-Oc/WJqA8BiK5bI/AAAAAAAAEjI/ADQlnYwyb70WmNOrGnzsngtzmy-8QodGACLcB/s320/gh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloody Marys. She made them nice an strong.</td></tr></tbody></table>At the second hole, things did not get much better for me. I improved on my setting the ball on the tee skills but it still took me a few swings to get the ball off the tee. When I finally did connect, the ball only went about five feet. Joe on the other hand, was so close to having a hole in one this round. We finished this hole pretty quick. We hopped back in the carts and drove to hole number three. The breeze from whipping around on the golf cart was so welcoming. It felt so good. I really was enjoying driving the golf cart around.<br /><br />It was at the third hole that I lost my first golf ball. I finally got some air on it and sent it sailing into the woods. I hoped I didn't hit any small animals in the head with my runaway golf ball. That would have made me very sad. My team struggled a little on this hole. We also had a random group of men, not associated with our company sneak up behind us. Cindy heard them make some cracks about the two of us. We told Carl and Joe. They got pissed that the Judge Smails crew was heckling us. We decided to just let the guys pass us and play the next hole first.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The heat was taking it's toll on all of us. I checked my phone. It was 92 degrees out. We were dumping bottles of water down our backs. By the time we finished the fifth hole, it was 95 degrees. We were also completely out of beverages. Mostly we were out of them because I drank all the beers and sodas in the cooler. They guys still had some of their beers but I decided not to steal them. Well maybe I did steal one or two. Who knows? We drove back to the club to get our free hot dog and replenished the beverages. It was nearing 11am. We still had 13 more holes of golf to play. I didn't think I was going to make it. This was going to be a long day regardless of how much I sucked at golf.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx822IdkZd4/WJqHTYjgWiI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/lNV0VQnidYEL6bdmGg6LqweGJs_oJ2lLgCLcB/s1600/Heat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Heat wave" border="0" height="184" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx822IdkZd4/WJqHTYjgWiI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/lNV0VQnidYEL6bdmGg6LqweGJs_oJ2lLgCLcB/s320/Heat.jpg" title="Heat wave" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truth. </td></tr></tbody></table>As we headed to our sixth hole, I was down to one golf ball. ( I have great aim at trees for some reason.) My putting game was also getting worse. I blame Coors Light for this. My golf cart driving skills however, were on point. I could stay here all day driving the cart. I wondered if they had places where you could just drive a cart around big, manicured lawns. That would be sweet. I also stopped trying to figure out which golf club to use for each swing. It was too hot to think that hard. I was now using the putter for all of my shots. I held onto that club like it was my bitch. Me and you baby, we will get through this together.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-88EMuxNT8KI/WJqBT-epYGI/AAAAAAAAEjU/nePEG7UdYdERj84zdsaF6gWqdd9MRfi9ACLcB/s1600/44af8869cf471e6b88663334627f15b1eea76104a9306c0989a2227ccfaf9b2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-88EMuxNT8KI/WJqBT-epYGI/AAAAAAAAEjU/nePEG7UdYdERj84zdsaF6gWqdd9MRfi9ACLcB/s200/44af8869cf471e6b88663334627f15b1eea76104a9306c0989a2227ccfaf9b2b.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me by the 7th hole.</td></tr></tbody></table>Somehow I managed through the seventh and eighth hole without passing out from heat exhaustion. I stopped apologizing for how bad I sucked too. It was just a given. I must say, the guys were very patient with me and I was so thankful for that. They really put me at ease. Cindy was absolutely wonderful too. We were having a blast giggling and chatting and enjoying the day despite the heat. It had to be 115 degrees out by now. I stopped checking. I didn't want to know. I started drinking water. I had no desire for anymore beer and there were no more sodas left. <br /><br />Once we hit the ninth hole I heard Joe say, "Last hole everyone. Let's make it a good one." I turned and looked at Carl. I asked him why Joe said this was the last hole. I thought there were 18 holes in golf. Carl laughed and said we were only playing nine holes. I am pretty sure a single tear of joy rolled down my cheek. This was the best news ever. Wrap it up people. I have a date with some air conditioning and a Bloody Mary. I didn't want to go home, I just wanted to stop playing golf.<br /><br />We finished the ninth hole pretty quickly. With a heavy heart, I drove the golf cart back to the club. I was going to miss my little buddy. He brought so much joy to my day. Cindy and I returned our golf clubs then headed to the pagoda where they were serving food. I had no desire to eat anything though. We made our way to the air conditioned lounge, where I pretty much remained for the rest of the day.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2kF32hKMPkc/WJqIfABWVuI/AAAAAAAAEkc/DYRJQS0p8_UJPTPpvas1bgPh91uwerWrQCLcB/s1600/images.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Golf ECard" border="0" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2kF32hKMPkc/WJqIfABWVuI/AAAAAAAAEkc/DYRJQS0p8_UJPTPpvas1bgPh91uwerWrQCLcB/s320/images.png" title="Golf ECard" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is true.</td></tr></tbody></table>A bunch of my co-workers were also there. We were having a total blast. Drinks were flying. Shots were being thrown back. By the time I was hungry, it was too late. They had already packed up the food in the pagoda and left. A few of us ordered food from the bar. It was delicious. We stayed there almost four hours. Eventually though, it was time to go. If we didn't leave soon, we were going to pass the point of being able to drive. I was starting to get emotional too. The combination of alcohol, dehydration and sunburn was not helping matters.<br /><br />My lovely driver Cindy packed me into her car and got me back to home base. I thanked her so much for such a fun day. It really was a great experience. The next day was not so much a great experience. I woke to excruciating pain in both of my lower arms and wrists. I have never had pain like that in my lowers arms. My wrists yes, but not my arms. The pain was so fiery and intense that I was crying. I popped two ibuprofen. They did nothing for me. I popped a third one. Nothing. The pain was unbearable.<br /><br />I found my icy hot and slathered it all over my arms. It helped a little. I was no longer sobbing but I could still feel the sharp throbbing. My daughter brought down the leftover prescription Motrin she had from when she had a wisdom tooth pulled. I had to wait a few hour before I could take it but the count down was definitely on. Could all of this pain come from my swinging a golf club I thought to myself? Maybe. I honestly had no idea. All I knew was this pain was a complete surprise.<br /><br />The rest of the afternoon, I lay on my couch alternating a bag of ice cubes between each arm. Once I was able to take the prescription Motrin, the pain faded. Unfortunately it wore off about an hour before I could take more. I was in tears again. I grabbed the icy hot and kept slathering it on my arms. I smelled like a nursing home on date night but I didn't care. Easing this pain was my only concern. Of course I managed to get some icy hot in my eyes too. Shocker. That felt great. FML!<br /><br />Before bed, I was able to take another Motrin. I woke up in the middle of the night from the severe pain in my arms once the medicine wore off. I was able to take another Mortin and fall back to sleep in less than an hour. Monday at work was rough. I was still in pain and very tired. I asked some of my co-workers that also played golf for the first time if their arms hurt. They all said yes. The pain had to be from swinging the club. By Monday evening, the pain had lessened enough to where I could just take two ibuprofen. The pain did not go away completely for another two days.<br /><br />As much as I had a good time playing golf, I will never be a regular golf player. I am not even sure I would sign up for another tournament. The heat was bad but it was the pain I was afraid of. I have a very high tolerance for pain so when a pain makes me cry, I know it is bad. I'm sure aging and becoming a professional slacker over the last two years played a part in this as well. Knowing me though, my name will be on that sign up sheet again just so I could drive the golf cart. We shall see. <br /><br />In closing, I genuinely had a blast trying to play golf but it most certainly is not something I will do on a regular basis. I do see why so many people enjoy playing it though. It's a fun and relaxing sport. You get to spend time in the fresh air. You get to drive a golf cart. You get a nice little work out. It helps you focus and stay sharp. It's a great sport. I totally get it. I just suck at it. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chrissy </b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mA7AR3TsJbE/WKEVdUMAWyI/AAAAAAAAEm0/6cJcJVfsgYQvijSFbHvidCHwNQncQb9-ACLcB/s1600/14590313_10209271583820079_7092380369515666481_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mA7AR3TsJbE/WKEVdUMAWyI/AAAAAAAAEm0/6cJcJVfsgYQvijSFbHvidCHwNQncQb9-ACLcB/s400/14590313_10209271583820079_7092380369515666481_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chrissy Fesslerhttps://plus.google.com/100365677006678952010noreply@blogger.com